A total of 42 companies have submitted bids to construct the new bridge across the Demerara River. The bids were opened today at the Ministry of Public Works, Wights Lane, Kingston.
At the official ceremony, Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, said he was satisfied with the number of bids received and pledged to work in the interest of all Guyanese.
“The rules of engagement will be transparency, accountability and full disclosure to the people of Guyana. That’s the assurances that the dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali administration would have come to Guyana with. That is the modus operandi that we have followed since we are in Government and on this very significant public infrastructure project, we will continue to keep faith with the people of Guyana in keeping with the principles of good governance,” he said.
Senior Minister of Finance within the Office of the President, Dr Ashni Singh, who has purview over the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, also attended the ceremony.
Dr. Singh highlighted the importance of the event and was pleased with the number of bidders.
“We witnessed an unprecedented level of interest in a major infrastructural project in Guyana,” he said.
Minister Singh said the new Demerara River crossing will make a dramatic contribution to the improvement of the country’s transport infrastructure.
He also said the bridge must be built within the timeline given by President Dr Irfaan Ali, three years.
Dr Singh said the current Demerara Harbour Bridge has outlived its usefulness and relevance to Guyana of today.
“One merely has to observe the daily traffic congestion on the East Bank Demerara, both in the mornings and evenings, which has contributed to thousands and thousands of lost man-hours, as people endure the daily commute into and out of the city,” he said.
The Government has recognised the need to have a crossing of large capacity not only to meet the immediate challenges faced today, but also in its vision of transforming the overall transport landscape of Guyana.
Dr Singh highlighted, the new Demerara River crossing, in addition to the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the Guyana/Suriname Bridge, the Highway from La Grange to Parika, the Ogle to Haags Bosch bypass road and waterfront developments, will ensure Guyana becomes a country with modern infrastructure. It will also improve connectivity between Guyana and with neighbouring countries.
