–           GS Jagdeo says

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, has reaffirmed that a new four-lane concrete Berbice River bridge will be completed during the party’s next term in office, should it be re-elected.

Speaking at a recent press conference, Dr Jagdeo said the government remains committed to executing the long-anticipated infrastructure project, even if mobilisation does not begin before the 2025 General and Regional Elections.

“If you award a contract, it takes weeks, maybe months to negotiate the details of the contract,” he explained, noting that financial arrangements, including mobilisation advances and bond securities, would also require time.

“The way I see it, it might be very difficult to get it done [before the election], but the commitment is there. The bridge will be built—a four-lane, concrete bridge—and it will be completed in the next term in office,” Jagdeo declared.

The existing floating Berbice River bridge is set to reach the end of its operational life in 2027 and as such, making it an opportune time for a more permanent solution.

The General Secretary previously noted that the new bridge will be similar to the New Demerara River bridge and serve as part of the government’s broader development strategy for the Berbice Region.

President Dr Irfaan Ali first floated the idea of a new Berbice River bridge in 2022 and explained that it would be built under the same system used for the new four-lane high-span bridge being constructed across the Demerara River.

Dr Ali had highlighted that several significant projects are taking place in the county of Berbice, including expansion at Palmyra, the possible development of an industrial park and port facilities.

The bridge will play a crucial role in the development of the two regions.