Dear Editor,
The Berbice River Bridge was opened on December, 23, 2008, and it is indeed a project that all Guyanese can be proud of. It is the sixth largest bridge in the world and without a doubt it will make communication to and from Berbice so much easier and more desirable. No more waiting for hours to get the ferry, no more VIPs or persons pretending to be VIPs being given priority and/or jumping the queue!
When President Jagdeo some years ago said that there will be a Berbice river bridge, I thought that it was mere politicking and just an election statement for the citizens of Berbice. It is now a reality, but there are still some finishing things to be done. I would like to compliment President Jagdeo and his government for having the foresight and perseverance in wanting to have this bridge built. Also parallel to this, I want to compliment the investors of this bridge for investing in Guyana and hope that over the years they would be able to say that their investment and faith in Guyana was well founded.
The success of this project is important, as it can be a stimulus for other major private sector investments so that there could be other thrusts in the economy. I do hope, however, that there is a proper system in place for the fixing of the tariffs and or charges for the use of the bridge by the public, so that both the investors and the public are protected. Also that when the bridge is scheduled to be handed over nineteen years from now, that it would be properly maintained.
There is one great disappointment that I see, and I do hope that I am wrong. Believe me, I want to be wrong on this. The opening of the bridge, as expected, was covered in the media. I saw both in the newspapers and on television, persons and vehicles traversing the road. The road was made of bitumen which appeared to be very thin and from a photograph in the newspaper I would average the thickness to be below an inch.
I did not see a well-constructed road and there was no drainage at the sides. I am no expert on the construction of roads, but I am certain that this road will not last for long and will have to be properly done over. I estimate that the cost to construct the road would be over US$300,000, and if I am correct then most of this money would have been wasted. The duty to have the access roads to the bridge constructed was on the Government of Guyana, and thus if I am right and/or only half right, then it would have been a waste of the tax-payers money.
If I am wrong I would in anticipation like to extend my apologies to those persons in the government who took the decision for the construction. I am rarely wrong though!
Yours faithfully,
K.A.Juman-Yassin
Attorney-at-Law
On your way to this bridge we all are proud of stop by this restaurant
http://www.iwalolarestaurant.com
I like the add…free and international. wise my brother, wise.
Convoluted logic and fear of expression. You get no place doing that. Tell the “Big ones” that they mess up again. Do so in plain, simple and direct language. But then in Guyanese society purile expression is a requirement for peaceful existence. Perhaps all too obvious but certainly not to be overlooked is the level of incompetence exercised by the Government agency that was responsible for the road construction immediately approaching the bridge. See, I said it..LOL. There is no “if I am wrong” when it is clearly evident, that in the Government’s rush to show something tangible for its disfunctional years in office that it decided to build a bridge (great idea). But in doing so the “cart was put ahead of the horse”. The load will eventually get there, even if the cart has to be pushed. ISNM
Your letter should have stated sixth longest floating bridge instead of sixth largest bridge.
Should the PUC not be involved in rate monitoring and fixing?
According to this article – http://guyanaberbicebridge.blogspot.com/2008/12/berbice-bridge-write-up-as-per-gina_23.html – the road cost US$8.7Mn
Is this bridge indeed the sixth largest in the world? I have seen on National Geographic’s “Mega Constructions” Program where many very large bridges, costing in the billions of US$, were constructed in countries like France & China.
The Tampa Bay bridge is longer.
Well well, an attorney-at-law claiming the Berbice river bridge is the sixth largest in the world?, now I know which attorney not to hire in Guyana should I ever need one. I rarely need an attorney.
lol, i know you wont hire him cause he don’t know what he’s saying, it is the sixth largest floating bridge.
It may be the sixth largest “floating” bridge in the world. However, i am not too sure.
The bridge approach from the east side is indeed a challenge.It has been known for sometime that the contractors were having a stability problem.
It is a pity that the very best in hydraulics were not given the opportunity to lay the foundation for the bridge approach….the Dutch.
Hi Kenneth nice to read the comment of an engineer, can you belief that a floating wharf was built in Guyana. Have a nice day.
if i remember correctly, the news said the road will be completed in 2009.
Love this job by the goverment. The road will be done in due time.All for the good of the peole of Guyana. Very happy about this. Guyana needs the government of the day. Forever.
What’s all these negative comments about the floating bridge. As a Guyanese who left home since 1972 am proud of the accomplishment. We as Guyanese should come together and support the PPP Government to tackle more of these kind of projects and finish them. This bridge is a “trial and error”, we have to keep on working at it until we get it right. This bridge needs your support. My father used to say Success is failure, you have to fail and fail again, until you get what you want, you have not succeeded. This bridge is an accomplishment. Congradulation to the PPP and President Bharat Gagdeo.