The Public Works Ministry is currently in the process of finalising a Requestion for Expression of Interest (EOI) for a new high-span permanent bridge across the Berbice River to replace the current floating structure.
This is according to the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Vladim Persaud, during a recent presentation at a workshop hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) last week.
“Expressions of Interest are already being fine-tuned for a permanent bridge over the Berbice River,” PS Persaud disclosed.
This publication understands that this Request for EoIs will be published soon.
When contacted for additional information on the new project, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill indicated that the new bridge across the Berbice River will be a high-span concrete bridge thus removing the need for retractions, allowing both marine and vehicular traffic to flow freely and uninterrupted.
“We are going out with an Expression of Interest to see who is interested in participating in such a project,” Minister Edghill related to this publication on Saturday.
The idea of a new bridge across the Berbice River was first floated back in October 2022 by President Dr Irfaan Ali.
Speaking at the launch of the Berbice Expo and Trade Fair two years’ ago, the Head of State told residents of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) that Government was considering a new bridge as part of the many infrastructure developments planned for the ancient county.
“We are, at this moment, evaluating the need for a new Berbice Bridge that will not hinder the development of the Berbice river,” President Ali had stated.
Then back in January this year, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo announced that Government had already started planning the construction of the four-lane structure across the Berbice River.
“We are going to build a four-lane bridge across the Berbice River. We already have that in the works. We’re planning it – which will start – to replace the floating bridge too,” Jagdeo had noted.
The current two-lane floating Berbice River Bridge is the main link between Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Region Six.
Considered the seventh longest floating bridge in the world as of 2016, the 1.57 kilometres (0.98 miles) bridge was built by the companies, Bosch Rexroth and Maybey & Johnson at a cost of US$40 million (GYD $8.2 billion). It was completed in 2008 and officially opened on December 23 of that year.
The bridge is the first structure to span the Berbice River, connecting the western bank of Berbice at D’Edward Village in Region Five with its eastern bank at Crab Island in Region Six.
The Berbice River Bridge was built from Compact 200 Bridge system which was considered the most modern steel panel bridge technology in the world at that time. The surface of the bridge is coated with an epoxy resin overlaid with calcined bauxite, making it skid-free.
It was financed by the state-owned National Insurance Scheme (NIS), which had invested in Bond One of the project to the tune of $300 million. The scheme received (not principal payments) $270 million, a 90 per cent return on their investment. NIS also invested in Bond Two, $760 million, and received $823 million in return. The company also invested $500 million for subordinate debt (loan stuck) $456 million and is now owed $207 million. Preference shares invested was $950 million. They were paid back $163 million and are owed $507 million. Some $80 million was invested in common shares with zero returns so far.
This means that the ownership structure of the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. (BBCI) is made up of ordinary share capital of $500 million owned by private investors and preference shares of $950 million owned by NIS.
In addition to the insurance scheme, the bridge has a wide cross-section of investors including various pension schemes, insurance schemes, local banks and private companies.
Asked on Saturday whether government will give preferential treatment to these current BBCI stakeholders if they are also interested in the new bridge, the Public Works Minister was unable to say.
“We don’t know if they are interested… We’re going out for an Expression of Interest and let’s see what the market offers,” Minister Edghill stated.
