NOTHING new could be reported on the Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara bridge as Regional Chairman Julius Faerber declined to offer a comment on it last Friday.
The Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) Chairman had reported that the administration is currently in discussions with the Ministry of Finance to have a new bridge constructed leading to the Ocean View Housing Scheme at Uitvlugt.
In a subsequent comment to the Guyana Chronicle, Faerber reported that the Finance Ministry had not yet responded to the financial requests by the regional administration.
The Uitvlugt Bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic since last December due to its deplorable state and has reportedly caused severe inconvenience, since it is the key bypass to the said housing scheme.
A new bridge, Faerber reported, will have to come under the region’s capital programme, but since no provision was made for it in the annual budget, the administration is unable to have it constructed.
It is for this reason the regional administration sought to write to the ministry, asking for a special concession to do that bridge.
Faerber had told the Chronicle that the regional administration will work with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo)) to effect repairs to the said bridge.
The bridge, which was built by GuySuCo, was not suitable for heavy traffic.
Faerber mentioned that, because the administration did not make provision for the necessary repairs in its budget, it will have to rely on some of its savings to help with the job.
Faerber said the administration will notify GuySuCo of the amount it managed to garner and request that the latter contributes the additional funds.
Meanwhile, the other access bridge, though in a deplorable state as well, is accommodating all of the traffic, including heavy-duty vehicles, much to the severe inconvenience of the public.
However, because it is made of wood and due to the volume of traffic, it would have to be repaired regularly with millions of taxpayers’ dollars annually.
Some concerned citizens said a logical solution would be to build a modern, concrete, heavy-duty replacement with a walkway to cater for children and other pedestrians. (Telesha Persaud)