The Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) yesterday said it is disappointed at the ruling of Chief Justice (ag.), Roxane George SC, with regard to the takeover by Government of the operations of the Berbice River Bridge.
In a statement, the Company says it has consulted with its attorneys-at-law and the Board of Directors have concluded that the recent ruling ought to be challenged.
BBCI said it shall in due course make its filings to the Court of Appeal seeking to set aside, or reverse, the ruling of the Chief Justice (ag.).
The statement said that the Company has on many occasions pointed out that successive governments have failed to honour the Agreement for annual adjustments of the toll to cross the bridge, resulting in the accumulated loss of billions of dollars to the Company.
The Company said that since June 2015, the Minister of Public Infrastructure has consistently refused to meet to discuss toll adjustments.
In the meantime, since the takeover of the bridge and control over the toll charges, the statement said that the Company is expected to meet the cost of its operations at a continuing loss to the Company.
On Wednesday, Justice George dismissed an application by BBCI to quash a Toll Order by the Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson which prevented it from implementing planned increases.
The Chief Justice, in dismissing the application, also ruled that the action by Patterson did not amount to a takeover of the bridge, as was claimed by the company in its application.
In 2018, the company announced plans to implement massive toll increases which were to take effect from November 12th, 2018.
Patterson, however, referred to the planned increases as unconscionable, and caused to be issued a Toll Order by which he froze the toll fares of the BBCI. BBCI, as a result, filed an application in 2018 claiming that Patterson is not required by law to approve toll increases, had no lawful authority to prevent the company from moving ahead with its planned increases, and asked for his action to be quashed.
