MINISTER of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, on Sunday attended the official opening and handover of the new Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge (BJDRB) office building.

The newly commissioned building will serve as the administrative and operational hub for the bridge staff who oversee daily operations, including its latest enhancement, the vibrant LED lighting system that illuminates the bridge’s superstructure at night. The feature has quickly become a landmark attraction for commuters and tourists alike.

Equipped with a seamless blend of private offices and collaborative cubicles, the BJDRB office building includes a state-of-the-art, 24-hour command centre for real-time traffic monitoring, a training room, maintenance workshop, and other contemporary amenities essential for efficient operations.

During the ceremony, Project Manager Patrick Thompson officially handed over the facility to Wayne Watson, General Manager of the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge. Also in attendance were bridge staff members, the contractor’s project team and officials from the Ministry of Public Works.

The commissioning also paves the way for a strategic relocation of the Special Projects Unit (SPU), which will move its operations into the former Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) building at the old Harbour Bridge compound.

The relocation is expected to provide the SPU with a stronger base of operations to execute its wide-ranging infrastructural portfolio nationwide.

Minister Edghill emphasised that by providing the BJDRB team with the environment and tools needed for high-level monitoring and maintenance, the ministry is reinforcing its commitment to keeping the bridge safe, efficient, and well managed for the thousands of Guyanese commuters who depend on it every day