THE Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) was opened to ‘light vehicular traffic’ (minibuses and cars) shortly after noon yesterday, and with the assurances from DHB General Manager, Mr. Rawlston Adams that it would be fully opened to all types of vehicles from today.

Repairs being undertaken on the Demerara Harbour Bridge by workers yesterday. (Adrian Narine photos)

Adams, at a news briefing yesterday morning, told reporters that repair works – at that point in time (10:30 hrs) – were between 90 and 95 percent complete and buses, cars and some canter trucks, weighing in the vicinity of three tonnes were allowable.
Adams said work was done during Tuesday night and was continuing around the clock to finish repositioning the flotations.
He was hoping to accomplish the target of having large vehicles traversing the facility by today.
Adams said the partial opening yesterday was due to excellent team effort by the proud staff of the DHB, who were mobilised from the time a section of the structure caved in and sank below water in the Demerara River.
He said there is only one team as there are not enough staffers to operate two shifts and they have worked tirelessly, sometimes with very little sleep or none at all, which shows their dedication to the job.
Adams said the cost of undertaking the fix is still being assessed but noted that the expense to the DHB will be insignificant to that for the country and the ordinary people, who have lost perishables and other goods since the incident that halted all vehicular traffic traversing the passage.
He said, even though management would be able to recover from the accident, it remains sympathetic to the people who depend on the DHB for their livelihoods, as their losses are much greater, as it relates to their finances and ability to recoup what has been lost.
Adams reiterated that what happened Monday morning was an accident because they have always tried to maintain the facility through constant repairs.
The cave-in left thousands of people stranded although some made use of speedboats from the Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara and Georgetown ferry stellings.
Authorities took a decision to allow the speedboats, once equipped with lights, to transport passengers up to midnight in order to accommodate commuters between Regions 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) and 4 (Demerara/Mahaica) who are eager to get home or get to  work.