Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday disparaged criticisms regarding the government’s intention to make major bridges across the country toll-free.
President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced that the new Demerara River Bridge and the new Wismar Bridge, upon completion, will be toll-free. He also said considerations were being made for the existing Berbice River Bridge to be toll-free once acquired from the private investors.
However, some persons have publicly criticised the move, saying, among other things, that there needs to be a toll structure in place to take care of maintenance costs.
But during his press conference at Freedom House, Jagdeo explained that fixed structure concrete bridges do not require the level of maintenance currently associated with the Demerara Harbour Bridge and the Berbice River Bridge which are opened to allow for the passage of ocean going vessels at different times.
“What is wrong with giving people toll free access. Everyone of these bridges will be concrete structures so the maintenance cost [for the 75 years project] plummets because there are no moving parts anymore,” he noted.
“So one time the toll was too high…now the president has announced that once the bridges are completed, we will not be charging any toll on the bridges, now its too low…” he added.
Jagdeo pointed out that the move will benefit every citizen of the country.
“I thought everybody would embrace this, government’s work for people. It’s not monkeys that will cross the bridge, it’s our people, so they would have big savings if they cross the bridge. They would all benefit including Norton if he takes a trip across to Region Three or goes across the Bridge in Wismar…if Ramjattan takes a trip across the Berbice Bridge, he wouldn’t have to pay,” he told reporters.
At present for the Demerara Harbour Bridge, tolls are $40 for motorcycles, $200 for private vehicles and minibuses, $700 for trucks and $5000 for heavy-duty vehicles weighing over 18 tonnes.
Currently, tolls on the Berbice Bridge are $200 for motorcycles, $2200 for cars and buses, $4000 for 4WD/Pick-up, between $7200 to $12800 for 30-50 seat buses and between $4000 to $13600 for trucks.
For the Wismar Bridge, the toll for cars is $60, buses range from $80 to $120 and trucks between $1200 to $4000.
