PUBLIC Works Minister Robeson Benn and officials from the Works Services Group and the Regional Democratic Council of Region 9 visited the location of the collapsed bridge linking Moco Moco to St. Ignatius village, and toured areas affected by the dislocated structure. The bridge came crashing down after a hauler owned by V. Dalip Enterprise, a contracted firm executing construction and road works in Region 9, attempted to cross the structure whilst carrying a small bulldozer in its tray. The overweight proved too great for the structure to bear.

At the time of the accident, the driver, whose name was given as Anthony, was the lone person on the vehicle.

An invited comment from Minister Benn to the Guyana Chronicle indicated that the minister and his team of engineers visited the area yesterday morning and had a firsthand inspection of the damaged structure.

The Minister explained that events leading to this incident are long periods of rainfall during Tuesday and Wednesday, and the resulting large amount of water accumulated in the creeks, which caused erosion to the river banks approaching the structure. He said residents had reported that one of the #4 upright pillars had been washed away and they had failed to block the bridge and alert the authorities of the region.
Within a two-and-a-half-hour period, the hauler and the low bed with the D4 bulldozer approached, and in crossing the defective bridge, crashed into the creek, damaging the entire structure.

Benn said that when the missing pillar had been observed, had residents acted responsibly by blocking the bridge or placing something to indicate that drivers must stop or detour, the accident would not have occurred.

The minister said his team visited two other bridges and found their structures were in excellent condition, but some work would, nevertheless, have to be done to upgrade them.

He deeply regretted the inconvenience visited on residents of the deep South Rupununi, and disclosed that restoring the bridge is expected to be done in approximately five or six weeks’ time.

The Ministry of Public Works, the Rupununi Chambers of Commerce, and the Region 9 administration, along with the V. Dalip Enterprise, will be executing the repairs to the structure.