TRAFFIC to and from Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) has been stalled, following the collapse of the southern section of the Pirara bridge on Sunday morning. Reports are that a 50-foot section of the 160-foot long wooden structure caved under the pressure of a heavy-duty truck, which remains lodged between the debris. “The initial assessment as of this morning is that one third of the bridge that has been damaged,” Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, said on Sunday.
In an invited comment, Indar informed the Guyana Chronicle that a joint effort comprising representatives from the regional administration, including the Lethem Town Council, as well as the private sector, has commenced an operation to ensure that the truck is offloaded and removed from its perched position. It is yet to be determined whether the truck was overloaded at the time it was attempting to traverse the bridge, which serves as a critical link between Lethem and Annai.

“They have said to me that they are trying and hopefully, would be able to get the truck out by the end of the day [Sunday],” Indar informed this newspaper.
He told the Guyana Chronicle that the Ministry of Public Works has mobilised its key partners and staff in Region Nine, in an effort to commence immediate repairs to the important bridge.
“Our engineers are talking to two contractors who are already mobilised in the area, to do a report quickly and an assessment of cost and timelines and so for repairs,” Minister Indar said.
He noted however that unsuitable weather patterns in the region are likely to pose some challenges with regard to the intended execution and completion of repairs. “Normally, when you have heavy water flow for permanent works, it is an impediment, so the condition on the ground is also being taken into context,” Indar said.
The minister gave the assurance that all efforts will be made to have the bridge reopened to at least ‘light’ vehicular traffic.

“We will have to put back some structures there to get light vehicular traffic first, and then we will work from there to get it back to its normal state,” the minister added.
Meanwhile, the Lethem municipality, via social media, indicated that as at Sunday morning, several critical items heading into the town had been left stranded. This is inclusive of a fuel tanker belonging to the Lethem Power Company Incorporated.
Back in November 2019, sections of the Pirara bridge also suffered damage. At that time, the Public Works Ministry then referred to as the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, had executed a series of repairs to restore the structural integrity of the bridge.
Those repairs lasted for more than two weeks and saw replacement of the upright piles that support the bridge, in addition to horizontal beams.

Meanwhile, Senior Public Works Minister Juan Edghill informed reporters on Sunday evening that even prior to the collapse of the bridge, the Irfaan-Ali government had commenced a programme to assess all the wooden bridges between Kurupukari and Lethem. The aim, Edghill explained, was to kick start the replacement of timber bridges with solid, concrete structures, specifically within the hinterland regions.
The minister acknowledged the fragility of timber bridges, and the fact that damage often results in communities being “cut off.”