– BCCI continues to manage bridge, collect tolls

THE Berbice bridge remains under the control of the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) and government does not collect any funds earned by the company, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson has said.

“The BBCI continues to manage the operations of the bridge and all tolls collected are deposited in whatever account the company chooses,” said the minister in response to questions from opposition Member of Parliament Juan Edghill during consideration of the proposed sum for the public infrastructure ministry.
Some $38.5 billion allocated to that ministry was approved on Tuesday.
The approval cleared the way for government to provide a subsidy of $166.3 million to the bridge company.

Minister Patterson said government has been providing the subsidy for the benefit of residents of Regions Five and Six since 2016.

According to the agreement, between the BBCI and the government, the government would subsidise the toll for cars by $300 and 10 per cent for other vehicles.
When questioned if the subsidy is adequate, the minister responded in the affirmative, noting that government will continue to provide the subsidy.

According to reports, in 2016 the government came to an agreement with the BBCI to reduce its toll fees. Tolls were reduced by 10 per cent and $155M per annum subsidy paid from January 2016.

Despite the agreement in 2016, the BBCI wrote the government requesting increased tolls in March 2016, 2017 and July of 2018.

Following the BBCI’s failure to get government’s approval for the toll increases, it was revealed that the 39 pontoons, an integral part of the bridge’s infrastructure had not been serviced for two- and one-half maintenance cycles. In the interest of public safety, Minister Patterson had approached the Cabinet to undertake the maintenance of these pontoons.
The ministry in its 2019 budget has made a provision of $120 million for the rehabilitation of those pontoons.

Early this year, the BBCI had requested exorbitant increases in tolls; the request was rejected by government.

Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General Basil Williams had stated that the BBCI is in breach of both the Berbice River Bridge Act and the agreement that the company has signed with the Government of Guyana.

The BBCI had announced plans to increase the bridge tolls over three-fold, with a view to meeting operational costs and making up for the company’s accumulated loss of over G$2.8B. The rates announced by the company are as follows: Cars: G$8,040; Pickups: G$14,600; 4WD: G$14,600; Minibuses: G$8,040; Small trucks; G$14,600; Medium-size trucks: G$27,720; Large trucks: G$49,600; Articulated trucks: G$116,680; Freight: G$1,680 and Boats: G$401,040. These the company said would be implemented on November 12, 2018.

However, Minister Patterson said the government would do all in its power to ensure that the increases are not implemented.