Why was the bridge not built between 1997 and 2015?

Jan 13, 2024 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Kaieteur News – At his recent Press Conference, Vice President Jagdeo made an astonishing revelation. He claimed that under the National Development Strategy (NDS), his government had planned to build a new Wismar Bridge. During his press briefing, last Thursday, told the reports that if they went back to the National Development Strategy, they will see that the bridge across the river at Wismar is listed.

However, he did not state which one of the two iterations of the strategy they should refer back to. There were two versions of the NDS:  one done under the coordination of Jagdeo along with a number of local stakeholders; and a revised version, which involved a compromise with the Opposition, to have Kenneth King produce a revised NDS. It is King’s version that treated as the official NDS version

What that version reveals is the abysmal failure of Jagdeo administration (1999-2011) to implement many of the road transport projects which it had planned to implement.

According to the NDS, a number of projects were to be in the road transport sector. These were to be done by 2010 and included a new 4-lane highway connecting Georgetown to the existing Soesdyke/Linden Highway, a completed highway linking Linden, by way of Mabura-Kurupukari, Annai-Good Hope and Lethem, to Brazil across the Takutu;  a road improved to modern standards, with a paved surface, connecting Kwakwani, Ituni, Linden, Rockstone, Anarika, Allsopp Point and Bartica and crossing the Essequibo River by a bridge in the vicinity of Kokerite Island;  a paved two-lane road from Parika to Makouria and Anarika, and between Patentia and Kamuni; a two-lane laterite road from Konawaruk southwards to the Siparuni River, to meet the road between Kurupukari and Annai, with a branch to Orinduik and other villages in the Pakaraima Mountains; a rehabilitated and completed road between Itaballi and Kurupung.

Also, there were plans to build a two-lane road between Itaballi and Eteringbang, and a bridge across the Cuyuni River to link the Guyana road system with that of Venezuela; two-lane branch road from the Itaballi-Eteringbang road to Towakaima and Matthews Ridge, and a two lane road from Port Kaituma to Yarakita;  a two-lane road from Supenaam to Towaikaima, with branch roads to Santa Rosa and Koriabo;  a two-lane road from Kwakwani eastwards to Epira and Orealla and a two-lane road northwards from Orealla to Moleson Creek;  a two-lane road from Marudi to Camp Jaguar, and another from Marudi to Oronoque Camp; a two-lane road from Orealla to Camp Jaguar; (xiv) a two-lane road from Annai eastwards to Apoteri to meet the road from Orealla to Camp Jaguar at Lanaballi River; and  a two-lane road from Port Kaituma to Yarakita.

The media can do a check list to see how many of these projects were completed by 2010 and per promise. It can also determine whether a new Wismar Bridge was part of the infrastructural master plan under the NDS.

But in addition to this, there were some grander plans for completion by 2010. These included the construction of high-span bridges across the Demerara River at the same site as the Demerara Harbour Bridge; a series of bridges and causeways linking the islands in the mouth of the Essequibo River to Morasi on the East Bank and Supenaam on the West Bank; and another high-span bridge across the Essequibo River at Monkey Jump. It was also proposed that by 2010 there would be the existence of deep-water harbours at the mouths of the Essequibo and Demerara Rivers. The media can also do a check-list as to how many of these remained outstanding ten years after they were due to be completed.

In 2009 and 2010, the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge underwent extensive repairs. If it was part of the master plan under the NDS, why did Jagdeo not build a new bridge then? During this period, there was no mention of building a new bridge. If the bridge was in the master plan why it was not built between 1997 and 2015?

The existing bridge is 56 years old and it is far too narrow to handle the increased traffic. A new bridge should have long been constructed.

During the APNU+AFC term in office, there was agitation for the construction of the new bridge. Months after assuming office in 2015, the APNU had announced plans for a feasibility study for a new bridge linking Wismar and Mackenzie.  But the sums allocated under a UK-GOG infrastructure programme were insufficient to finance the construction of the bridge.

There is no need for any political jousting over the plans for the construction of the bridge. The APNU+AFC had firmly placed the construction of the bridge on its agenda but like everything else it had an extended gestation period.

The PPP/C has now assumed office and has amended the original plans and is moving ahead with the project. There is room for both sides to claim credit for the construction of the new bridge. But in this divided polity in which we exist, the very idea of one side being credited with initiating a project and the other side with its execution finds no accommodation.

That is the tragedy of this country. And it is one of the reasons for its many discontents.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

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• administration, implement, Kenneth King, National Development Strategy (NDS), Wismar Bridge

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