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Opening the bridge for ships at nights only will prolong its life and ease traffic congestion

Apr 18, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

The road aback of Eccles to Mandela Avenue to ease traffic congestion on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) is long overdue. It is a testimony to the unresponsiveness of both regimes to human suffering. The removal of parliament to the Arthur Chung Conference Centre signalled the end of another torture chamber to commuters – I hope it stays that way.
On Friday afternoon, April 9, I was privy to witness and endure the suffering of commuters on the EBD roadway. The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic in the afternoon. It was raining non-stop. I was trapped on a bus on the EBD road coming towards the Bridge. The traffic had backed up all the way to Mocha road head moving at snail pace, night was approaching and I assessed that walking would be four times faster than the line. So I exited the bus and started walking. Unsuspecting drivers were taking a diversion down Mocha road, through Windsor Estate road, hoping to come out pass the bridge on the dumpsite or Eccles road only to be caught in long lines already built up on those roads. I was told by someone that the buildup of traffic over the river, waiting to cross the bridge was record breaking. This is not the first time the bridge was closed to vehicular traffic at these unholy hours, it happens on a regular basis, it was the first time I was caught in it. On that fateful Friday I estimated that some 10,000 vehicles were caught in that traffic jam with engines running, trying to inch their way forward, burning fuel on which the Government has a 70 percent consumption tax. The conspiracy theorist in me can only deduce collusion between the DHB and Government to extort taxes from the unsuspecting commuters, smothering them in inconvenience as they do so.
I wonder if the Government has ever consulted the management of the bridge in the interest of the thousands of commuters whose lives and pockets are being distressed when the bridge is closed during peak hours.
The bridge has outlived its intended lifetime and is most likely suffering from metal fatigue, particularly its opening span. I see no reason why the powers that be should not seek to have the bridge open to ships one time per day, at night only. I am inclined to think that people’s lives are more fragile and important than cargo on ships. This initiative is an open litmus test for the Government to prove what matters most – people’s lives or cargo on ocean going vessels?

Yours Respectfully,
Rudolph Singh

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