What passes these days for political administration is laughable at its best

Oct 02, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
So the Granger-administration will spend upwards of US$200 million dollars for a bridge across the Demerara that will be closed twice a day to allow ships to pass. Yes, I am not kidding! After Burnham built a retractable bridge 40 years ago, 1977, the PNC lead coalition will build a bridge in 2018 with the same archaic feature. They are saying that the bridge is different because vehicles will be allowed to remain on the bridge when it retracts.
What passes these days for political administration is laughable at best and downright retarded at worse. Just imaging that with the ever expanding growth and development on the West Bank and Coast of the Demerara; with the constant importation of vehicles; with the additional expansion that will come when because of the oil find, people will be able to import even more vehicles, this government is building a bridge that grinds traffic to a complete halt for 2 to 4 hours every day.
The country really can expect no better after all even the feasibility study was crooked. First the contract was awarded to one entity, and then it was withdrawn and handed to a Coalition crony. Then the government said that the IDB has funded the study, and then they said that it was actually the (broke) government that paid the $146 million to a PNC lackey. With this level of underhandedness, there must be a resultant level of ineptness and shortsightedness.
Let me here note that these are the very things they highlighted to aid them in removing the crooked PPP. Now they are caught with the things. Not that they would answer. Autocratic rulers don’t take time to answer to their citizens. But if they would answer, the United Republican Party (URP) would like to ask a few questions of the government.
1. How long do you plan to keep the new bridge for?
2. Do you plan to eventually build a bridge that does not retract? If so, When?
3. If you have to borrow money or partner with an investor to build this design, why not put some more money and build a bridge that does not retract and that you never have to worry about again?
This government is so confused that they even have the population confused. Do you know that there are folks who are arguing with me that the proposed bridge will not have to open for ships to pass? And some people who are arguing the loudest are the APNU supporters. Even they can’t believe that their leaders could be this dumb.
This government keeps highlighting Guyana’s potential from the oil and gas sectors. Now let’s work with that in mind. If Linden does get an oil refinery, as some are pushing for, and if bauxite is smelted there: both of which are now possible because of the local oil find. Can you imagine the substantial increase in maritime traffic along that Demerara River? It would mean that the traffic delays would then double or quadruple, or they will have to be more openings of the bridge, to allow for the increase in traffic.
Either way, the approved design of the bridge is a backwards steep or as my aunt used to say, “Ayah dotish.” I live on the West side at Vreed-en-Hoop, and one of the most unnerving things is to have to remember to check the bridge schedule. Another really unconvincing thing is sitting in that traffic – sometimes for more than an hour – waiting for the bridge to reopen so that you can get on with your business.
I would like to say unequivocally that a URP government or substantial representation in the parliament, will immediately take steps at making a crossing across the Demerara a permanent one. If the Coalition government goes ahead with this backwards bridge design, we will make a permanent bridge fixture an item on our 2020 platform. That is how strongly we are opposed to this crooked design. Which causes me to wonder: If the government has to change this design, what happens to the $146 million us dollars? Does it remain with the crony?
Dr. Vishnu Bandhu
Leader, URP

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