Demerara Harbour Bridge

Dec 10, 2020 Letters

When initially it was given several nicknames, one was ‘Longest Floating Socialist Bridge’, referring to Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham during whose regime the Demerara Harbour Bridge was erected). It actually turned out to have floated many years ‘longer’ than the period this major engineering initiative was predicted to last – something like thirty (30) years. Who is counting since? It’s many more now.
Indeed there was little, if any, preconception that it would endure the rate and much moreso the weight, of the flow of traffic currently experienced. More recent generations of regular motor vehicle drivers not to mention their heavy-duty colleagues, would hardly slow down long enough to reflect on the engineering maintenance feat being performed day and night over the years by too little appreciated groups of dedicated managers and technicians. Nor does one immediately recall any public recognition of the miracle of sustaining this floating bridge over water so long after its estimated lifespan.
One hopes that this oversight will be appropriately redressed, preferably before the award of a contract for the proposed (new) Demerara Harbour Bridge.
According to Stabroek News of December 05, 2020, there are nineteen (19) companies who have ‘expressed interest’ (one withdrawal) in this socio-economic engineering project. Nationally, they appear to be represented as follows:
• China – 8
• Combination of China and Spain – 1
• Guyana – 3
• Companies associated with Guyana – 2
• Netherlands – 2
• India – 1
• USA – 1
• Combination of Italy and Colombia – 1
Presumably, the track records of all the above will be thoroughly examined (in the process taking into account the factory at Skeldon and recent performance at CJIA).
For certain, its lifespan should be no less than that of the ‘Longest Floating Socialist Bridge’. If only culturally, the Chinese companies would have what we once called ‘first jump’. Most important however, is the guarantee of ‘staying afloat’!

Yours truly,
Earl John

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