RESIDENTS of Lamaha Park, situated between Sophia to the north and Festival City, North Ruimveldt to the south, are disgusted at the state of the only bridge that allows access to their residential community, and are calling on the relevant authorities to visit the area soonest, with a view to seeing for themselves and experiencing the woes to which they have been subjected for more than 28 years.

This bridge links Lamaha Park with Festival City

This wooden structure, which links Lamaha Park with Festival City, North Ruimveldt, was built when the Ministry of Housing decided to construct two ‘model houses’ in the area, pending the allocation of house lots to persons who were among the first to apply. And that was more than 28 years ago.
This bridge has since never been repaired; and being heavily used by pedestrians (including school children) on a daily basis, is now in a state of dilapidation, taking on the virtual appearance of the ‘Cassandra Crossing’ and being more of a death trap or ‘an accident waiting to happen’ than a facility for public convenience.
The children using the crossing range from tots to teens, and parents live in perpetual apprehension that, any day now, they would be at home and hear of a disaster involving their innocent children.
The facility is currently in its worst state. The string board is so badly rotted that it threatens to give way at any moment. Missing cross boards have left gaping chasms over the cold, black, ‘alligator-infested water below.
Several teens from both Lamaha Park and Sophia who attend lessons outside of the scheme regularly return home after dark, and are forced to make the dangerous crossing.
But what literally haunts residents is the consideration that, should any person — and God forbid it be a child — be attacked by a robber or rapist on a dark night, they would either be left at the mercies of the attacker, or be forced to jump into the alligator infested waters in an effort to escape the attacker.
That apart, it is impossible for residents to cross the bridge whenever there is a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) initiated ‘black out’ at night, because of the craters created by missing cross boards.
From time to time, persons attempt to address the situation by nailing pieces of board on the bridge; but this can also prove dangerous, since the materials used are mostly ‘form boards’ which break easily.
Several complaints made by residents to officials through the years have all fallen on deaf ears.
Meanwhile, residents of Lamaha Park are despairing over the fact that their Sophia neighbours, to the north, are in process of being given a second spanking new bridge, although they had comparatively recently been given a spanking new bridge, situated just a few metres away from where the second bridge is being constructed.
Lamaha Park residents are interested to know what it would take to address their dilemma. Would the tragic death of one of their residents suffice?