$119M modern bridge for Moruca
─ to benefit 10,000+ residents
─ new structure will bring relief to the residents who endured hardship for years with old wooden bridge that was below water level
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, February 28, 2019
Toshao of Santa Rosa, Whanita Phillips said that the more than 10,000 residents are ecstatic about a new concrete, double-lane bridge under construction at Moruca, Barima-Waini, Region 1.
“I feel very happy that the government has taken the initiative to give us such a lovely bridge. While in Opposition, the government was fighting for this and now it has become a reality and we are happy,” Phillips told the Department of Public Information (DPI).
The $119M construction will bring relief to the residents who endured hardship for years with the old wooden bridge that was below water level.
The new structure will comprise a concrete deck, supported by steel beams and a timber sub-structure. The length of the bridge was also extended since the approaches are prone to flooding. It is also being constructed high enough to allow for boats to pass under it.
Phillips said that the construction of the bridge is progressing smoothly. She added, “this is a long-lasting bridge and I know that our children and grandchildren will benefit from this bridge because it is going to be here for a very long time.”
Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, who visited the construction site recently said that the bridge is just one of the many projects being executed to make the lives of the indigenous people more comfortable.
The minister urged the contractor to ensure value for money and timely delivery of the project. The bridge is expected to be completed within weeks.
The previous Moruca Bridge was constructed in the 1980s, to facilitate pedestrians only. It was subsequently upgraded at an approximate cost of $43M under the former administration, to cater for vehicular traffic. After spending an additional $15M for revetment works on the eastern end of the bridge in 2014, the structure remained inadequate and below the water level forcing the residents to resort to a makeshift bridge.
Mohammed Ramzan Ali Khan Construction Company is executing the project.
Synieka Thorne
Images: Adrian Persaud