When did Dutch settlers establish trading posts in Guyana?

Dutch settlers began establishing trading posts in the region of Guyana around 1580. While some historical records indicate that the first formal settlement was established in 1616, other accounts note that the Dutch began settling along various rivers, including the Essequibo, as early as 1602. These initial efforts marked the beginning of European colonization in the area, which eventually led to the development of plantation economies and the importation of enslaved people from West Africa.123