Pres. Ali commissions new Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge – INews Guyana

In a display of gratitude and honour, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced on Sunday night that the new Demerara River Bridge will proudly carry the name of the esteemed former President and Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, forever celebrating his remarkable contributions to the nation.

The commissioning ceremony held on October 5 marks 33 years since Guyana’s return to democracy, which President Ali described as a fitting moment to honour one of Guyana’s most influential leaders.

The US$262 million cable-stayed bridge will now be officially called the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge.

“As President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, it is my honour, my privilege, and indeed my duty, to dedicate this bridge in the name of Bharrat Jagdeo. From this day forward, it shall be called the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, because great men deserve recognition, because visionaries deserve legacies, and because Guyana never forgets its giants,” the head of state declared in his feature address.

The president recalled Jagdeo’s early years in public service, who he said played an instrumental role with the late former President Dr Cheddi Jagan in recovering Guyana from “economic wilderness”

President Ali reminded the gathering that Jagdeo’s work extended beyond Guyana’s borders, highlighting his leadership in CARICOM’s agricultural agenda, his creation of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDs), which earned him international respect and recognition from the United Nations as a “Champion of the Earth.”

Speaking on the addition of the new infrastructure, the head of state said it symbolises a new era in Guyana’s transformation, built to last for the generations yet to come.

“It is a signal to the world that a nation is ready, and this bridge speaks loudly, declaring that Guyana is ready, ready to modernise, ready to industrialise,” President Ali said.

Touching on the bridge’s significance, President Ali described the four-lane structure as a lifeline for commerce, industry and people.

Stating that the structure’s benefits are obvious and immediate, he underscored that “Every commuter will feel it. Every business will benefit from it. Every investor will take note of it.”

Importantly, the engineering wonder is a magnet of transformation as it links two of the biggest engines of economic growth: Regions Three to Four, with the West Bank poised to become an industrial hub.

“And this – both a gateway and an engine of that transformation: factories, logistics centres, housing developments, commercial hubs, all will rise in its shadow.”

The new bridge boasts four lanes for vehicles, a separate walkway for pedestrians, and a crucial 50-meter clearance above the water, replacing the old floating structure that has fully served its time.

It will open new corridors of development, pulling jobs and investments and opportunities in communities that will flourish in its orbit. This bridge is therefore not just a crossing. 
It is a catalyst,” the president stressed.

Rising 50 meters above water at its highest point, large cargo ships (Handymax vessels) can pass below unhindered, ensuring a smooth 24/7 flow of both road and river traffic.

The Bharrat Jagdeo River crossing will help around 50,000 commuters each day and will greatly reduce travel time.

It was constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited to last 100 years, securing a vital link for generations to come. (DPI)

Related