TODAY, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali is scheduled to inaugurate the New Demerara River Bridge with much pomp and ceremony, celebrating yet another significant milestone, and transforming the landscape of Guyana in a modern and futuristic way.  

The bridge cost US$260 million, and was built by the China Railway Group of Companies, with oversight and supervision provided by the Italian firm, Politecnica. The bridge now boasts a four-lane, high-span fixed infrastructure, which replaces the ageing floating structure. It will, expectably, offer efficient and reliable transportation, and it is toll-free.  

Additionally, the 2.65 km-long bridge, which connects Nandy Park, on the East Bank Demerara, to La Grange, on the West Bank  Demerara, and features a 50-meter high fixed-span for vessels and a lifespan of 100 years, is a marvel of engineering and technical expertise, and bold political determination and genius in this part of the Caribbean and South America.    

This is engineering excellence! This is what progress feels and looks like! This is what development and growth look like! This is what hard work and political genius give in the end!

President Ali’s futuristic thinking and resolve, demonstrated in 2020, when the People’s Progressive Party Civic won back the government, must be singled out for special attention. Dr. Ali never cowered during the difficulty experienced with the project, from Day One right through to its completion. He never doubted the contractors or workers of the project, though he gave them a dose, now and again, of tough love with his style of pointed criticisms. 

When the going got tough, and the then opposition, A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), saw the opportunity to kill the project by making all sorts of undue criticisms, allegations of lack of financial transparency and accountability, President Ali stood firm and weathered the storm, along with his government, which said this is not going to fail. The project could have suffered a similar fate as the old Amaila Falls Project, which the then-opposition killed in Parliament and butchered in the court of public opinion.

President Ali had said, “Together, we’ve achieved an incredible piece of infrastructure for Guyana, and we’ve been able to achieve this because of the teamwork and the hard work of this team.” He had called the bridge “beautiful”, saying that Guyana would ultimately benefit from “good traffic management in the process”.

The truth is, not only have the president and the PPP managed to deliver on this project, they have delivered on a huge promise and election commitment made across parties and administrations. The APNU+AFC administration, of which David Patterson was a part, fumbled the bag and just twiddled their thumbs. For five years, the project could have been executed, but they denied Guyanese the opportunity to access real development and a better standard of living. That’s the real issue here. They politicked and undermined the bridge so many times over the last decade. Dr. Ali and the PPP worked hard to secure the financing and completion of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge.

Now that this historic and grand bridge will be opened, the opposition will turn its attention to the other promises that the PPP and President Ali have outlined. They will use it to do their political work, but will find all manner of things to say about it. That is the duplicity, hypocrisy, and opportunistic nature of the politics that Patterson, the AFC, APNU, and the We Invest in Nationhood party (WIN) seem to be practising. They are just ‘opposing for opposing sake’.

But Guyanese can rest assure that the PPP has done a great job and eased the burden of transportation for all who have to use this bridge. 

According to Aunty Sheree, who hails from Versailles, West Coast Demerara, she never thought this day would come to reality in her lifetime.

“Boy, I grew up knowing ‘bout de hardship we used to face when we want get to town; it nah easy. I was glad when Comrade Burnham give we de bridge. I smiled then and accept it and bless. My chirren use the old bridge; it had nuff story. I use to hear about the traffic and chaos. Now, my great-grandsons come and tell me that a new bridge gone go there; the ole one not good. I see a tall, tall bridge on the settie (TV) and I say, ‘My God, look how Guyana look like them foreign places! Thanks to de president and all de ministas, Guyana has arrive!’” she said.

The same optimism and shock were felt by 23-year-old Keshia Greene from Georgetown, who aspires to be a teacher. “I am very satisfied that President Ali understands we need more and newer models of infrastructure in this country,” she said, adding: “The old DHB has served well. Now it’s time for a new and modern bridge. That is what I will experience sometime after the bridge opens on Sunday.”

These are just the views of citizens about the bridge. Expect President Ali and other speakers to give the public much more insight into the vision and purpose of the bridge. He will talk about what is next for the bridge in the near future, and how this  piece of infrastructure will be used to link rural and coastal economies, bringing added value, economies of scale, and new business opportunities for Guyanese.

Guyana looks bright and progressive under this administration. The towers of the new DHRB signal hope, endurance, sacrifice and one Guyana, connecting all six peoples into a melting pot of unique cultures and identities.

This isn’t just a modern bridge; it’s a masterpiece of what is possible if Guyana goes along with the PPP/C in government.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.v