Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn has sent a senior officer in Region Four on leave and has ordered an investigation into the misuse of road works funds after an access bridge at Bee Hive on the East Coast of Demerara was found to be fragile and useless.
The bridge at Bee Hive which has been described as useless. (GINA photo)
The Government Information Agency (GINA) last night reported that Minister Benn, accompanied by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Kellawan Lall visited the $1.1M bridge after receiving complaints about it.
Benn asked that an examination be done of the bridge by the Ministry’s Chief Engineer who found that the structure was not built to specifications.
“The bridge is not attached to the beams and instead of four inch screws, the contractor substituted three inch screws”, GINA reported the Chief Engineer as saying.
GINA said that the bridge will soon undergo reconstruction by the Ministry of Public Works’ Chief Engineer.
Lall said that the bridge is a regional project and that the Regional Executive Officer should have monitored the progress of construction and it should have been inspected before the contractor was paid.
Benn called on the relevant authorities to indicate to the residents the amount of weight the bridge can accommodate. At present the bridge can only take seven tons, the weight of an empty truck.
It is unclear whether the Region Four administration was part of the visit or had been notified of the decision to send the officer on leave.
….most bridges ,, the kinds like this one in this pic ,, have very “short service life” whixch is primarily due to the weakly ,, constructed foundations of the anchors at both ends !….
aks n e engineer[construction] and his answer will be the same !…..
In the days of ancient Rome, many structures that were built,collapsed, killing large numbers of people.The emperor issued an order.Shall we say a decree.”Anytime the forms are to be removed from arches and floors,the architect and builder has to stand underneath the structure for one hour.” This official, before he was sent home, should have been subjected to stand under the bridge for am hour, as traffic passes overhead.