Chinese companies dominate bids to construct Corentyne River Bridge

Aug 31, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Five out of the six bidders that responded to the Ministry of Public Works Expression of Interest (EOI) for the construction of the Corentyne River Bridge, are Chinese-owned companies.

The bids which opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office on Tuesday saw China Road & Bridge Corporation, Joint Ventures, China Railway Construction Caribbean Company Limited & China Railway Construction, Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Company Limited, China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) in joint venture with CEIG, China Overseas Engineering Group Co. Ltd (COVEC) in joint venture with China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co. Ltd (CREEC), & China Railway First Group Co. Ltd (CRFG), China Harbour Engineering Company Limited, and Ballaste Nedam from the Netherlands all vying to build the new bridge.

An artist impression of the bridge across the Corentyne River

The Corentyne River Bridge, which is a project being embarked on by both the Governments of Guyana and Suriname, will be constructed using the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Maintain (DBFOM) model. It will be done in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The bridge, according to a Public Works Ministry’s advertisement, will span the Corentyne River from South Drain in Suriname to Moleson Creek in Guyana, and is slated to have a life span of 100 years.

Contractors responding to the EOI had to include in their bid document conceptual design, preliminary costing, and proposals to maximise local content including local firms, suppliers and labour from both countries.

Back in May, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, alongside Suriname’s Minister, Dr. Riad Nurmohamed, inked the contract for the feasibility study and design of the bridge with consultancy firm, WSP Caribbean Limited, a Trinidadian Firm.

The contract was awarded to the Trinidadian firm to the tune of US$2 million and is said to have a seven-month duration.

Edghill at the signing, which was held in Suriname, said that the bridge is more than just an infrastructure project. “It is a vision for the further development of two nations being realised. Development practitioners have agreed that bridges are key drivers of economic activity, ensuring the increased efficiency of trade, rapid exchange of ideas and quick access to services for those who need them most,” the Minister said.

Kaieteur News understands that the project is expected to be awarded during the early part of next year.

With plans for the new river bridge moving apace, the Public Works Ministry is also looking to continue the upgrade of the East Coast Demerara highway.

During the opening of tenders on Friday last, two companies – China Harbour Engineering Company Limited and China Railway First Group Co. Limited – were the only firms that entered bid for the project.

With this project, the Ministry is looking to continue phase two of the road widening and improvement project from Annandale to Mahaica and also carry out works on the railway embankment from Sheriff Street to Orange Nassau.

Back in June, Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, during a contract signing ceremony had noted the importance of upgrading the roadways in the country. These road projects he had explained are not only to improve the ease of commute or opening new lands for productive activity, but also to improve connectivity within the country and with neighbouring counterparts.

During that ceremony, the Minister had mentioned that there are plans on opening up a new four-lane highway along the East Coast Corridor from Sheriff Street to Orange Nassau with further work planned for beyond all the way to Rosignol.

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