-Records reveal

AS work on the new Demerara Harbour Bridge accelerates, the government is intensifying its efforts and has been engaging residents from Plantation Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara for the acquisition of their lands to make way for the proposed road corridor for the new high-rise bridge over the Demerara River.

Recently, there has been assertions from the APNU+AFC Opposition that the government had not consulted with residents and is only discriminating against Afro-Guyanese residents.

According to documentation compiled by this media house, public records unveil that this is far from the truth since a series of engagements and negotiations with the residents, who all comes from different ethnic backgrounds, dating back to 2022, with the last being as recent as May 7, 2024.

The project’s genesis dates back to September 2020 when the government announced its decision to locate the bridge along the Nandy Park to La Grange alignment.

By May 25, 2022, a pivotal moment was reached with the signing of the construction contract between the Ministry of Public Works and a joint venture led by the China Railway Construction Corporation (International).

The meticulous planning continued as the contractor joint venture submitted a comprehensive Land Acquisition and Relocation Plan in September 2022, outlining properties falling within the bridge’s Right-of-Way.

Subsequent scoping exercises in October 2022 delved into the particulars of properties earmarked for acquisition in the Peter’s Hall area.

To foster transparency and community involvement, Minister of Housing and Water, Colin Croal, spearheaded public engagements in October 2022, informing residents of the impending acquisition process.

However, tensions simmered as residents expressed dissatisfaction with property valuations disclosed during a January 2023 meeting, prompting some to seek private valuations.

Despite reassurances from Minister Croal during a February 2023 public engagement, discontent persisted, leading to negotiations and land identification exercises initiated by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) in March 2023.

Throughout these stages, the government reiterated its commitment to a fair and equitable relocation process.

As the project advanced, opposition voices grew louder, culminating in a series of engagements between government officials, stakeholders, and affected residents in September and October 2023.

The urgency of the situation was underscored by the Attorney General’s assertion that prolonged negotiations necessitated swift resolution.

By February 10, 2024, the government took decisive action, publishing Order 13 of 2024 for the Acquisition of Land for Public Purposes, signalling its intent to proceed with the project.

However, tensions escalated in February 2024 as officials, including Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall and Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, convened with residents who had not accepted compensation agreements.

Legal recourse was is not being ruled out us an option for those who remained defiant.

The government’s determination to press forward was solidified on April 6, 2024, with the publication of Order 28 of 2024, vesting parcels of land to the Government of Guyana.

Yet, the situation reached a critical juncture on May 7, 2024, with the dispatch of eviction and demolition notices to residents who rejected government offers.

Of the twenty-one properties slated for acquisition in the Peter’s Hall area, only six property owners accepted compensation packages, leaving fifteen embroiled in dispute.

The compensation offer included a range of benefits, from free residential plots to monetary compensation for land, buildings, and crops, as well as accommodation to facilitate rebuilding.

Amidst the ongoing engagement, APNU+AFC opposition is being called out for spreading falsehood, accusing the government of discrimination against Afro-Guyanese and coercion against the residents.

Contrary to claims of targeting specific ethnic groups, the affected residents represent diverse racial backgrounds, including Chinese.

Recently, Minister Nandlall during his programme, ‘Issues in the News’ railed into the APNU+AFC for using the race card to stymie development which would benefit hundreds of thousands of people, including Afro-Guyanese.

“We [government] have no apologies for doing the things that we are doing as a government because we have to do it for the public good and for the benefit of all ideas.

“So, the racists, you can continue to spew those racism. I don’t know who is listening to you and who you’re able to influence because if you’re able to influence anybody, they are in the same category with you,” Nandlall said.

He previously highlighted the government’s longstanding procedure for handling such property acquisitions, emphasising its commitment to a consultative and market-driven approach.

This approach seeks to ensure that the property owners are fairly compensated for their land in adherence to market values.

“Our government has a clear and settled procedure by which it approaches this type of situation. We have done it many times before. We did it when we were doing the Berbice River Bridge.

“We did it when we were doing the Hope Canal. We did it when we were doing well in relation to the gas-to-energy project, and we are now doing it in relation to the Demerara Harbour Bridge,” Nandlall said.

The minister clarified that their process includes consultation with property owners, striving to achieve consensus on property values and compensation.

As such, Nandlall said that the government offers various compensation options, such as monetary compensation or a house with land, and adjusting values accordingly.

Against this backdrop, the Attorney-General said that the government’s objective is to make the process as non-antagonistic as possible and ensure that private property owners are content with the compensation received for the acquisition of their properties, which will be used for construction of the bridge.

Acknowledging the inconvenience and impact on private property owners due to the lengthy process and ongoing construction work in the area, Nandlall expressed gratitude to them for their patience and support.

He acknowledged the challenges they are facing and expressed the government’s commitment to expediting the process.

This project is expected to be completed within 24 months, with the major works scheduled for completion on December 31, 2024.

The new bridge is expected to be some 2.65 kilometres long with two carriageways and four lanes. It is a hybrid design with a high span having a cable-stay design, even as the vertical height of the bridge is to be constructed at 50 metres from the mean highest watermark.

This new bridge is said to have a design lifespan of 100 years and will take the place of the existing bridge, which has been in operation for more than 40 years. This period of time is more than its projected lifespan.