FOLLOWING complaints by Lindeners that the Mackenzie/Wismar bridge is sinking, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI) has invested millions of dollars into major rehabilitation works to the infrastructure.

These include cleaning, sand blasting and tightening of nuts and bolts. This is even as feasibility study for a new bridge is currently being done. Chief Executive Officer of LINMINE Secretariat, Emit Alves, said that the repairs will be ongoing so as to make the residents feel safe. The work is currently being done in sections. A floatable raft was constructed so as to effectively meet those high spots and to strengthen the structure and its nuts and bolts.

The Mackenzie/Wismar bridge committee member Lennox Gasper said that he is grateful that MoPI would have responded to the pleas of residents to strengthen the bridge. “With this extensive work, we are hoping that the bride will ease regular weekly closure, and we will be seeing maintenance done more on a monthly basis” Gasper noted. While the old bridge is being strengthened, he still welcomes a new bridge into the town. “I am happy that plans are afoot to ensure that we have a new bridge because there is an influx of transportation and a usually long line of vehicles that are on either side, hence we need to have that two way flow of traffic,” he noted.

The 51-year-old bridge links the communities of Wismar and Mackenzie. The Board of Directors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved funding in the amount of USD4.4 million to help Guyana enhance its transportation sector and support the development of interior communities. Some of the funds will be used to finance the construction of the new bridge.

Works ongoing to strengthen the Mackenzie/Wismar bridge