Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill believes that deliberate political interference played a key role in stalling the construction progress on the much-anticipated new Demerara River Bridge.
Speaking at his year-end press briefing on Saturday, the minister labelled the project’s delays as a “big political move” designed to undermine the government’s developmental efforts and fuel claims of stagnation.
“It is the local politics of division and destruction that is seeking to hinder Guyana’s development,” Minister Edghill proclaimed.
According to the minister, the delays were not due to technical or financial issues, but rather to the Opposition using innocent residents as pawns in its skullduggery.
The minister further claimed that efforts were intentionally orchestrated to smear his public image and discredit the advancements his ministry has made.
Condemning these politically motivated and destructive actions, Minister Edghill observed that “the lawyers and the quantity surveyors who hyped those residents up were all politically tied…They wanted to stall the bridge so that it wouldn’t come in before our term is finished.”
Residents who were influenced by the political shenanigans of the Opposition refused the government’s repeated offers of fair compensation and alternative land titles.
After months of prolonged delays, the ministry pursued legal action. The courts eventually ruled that property owners be removed with compensation that amounted to far less than the amount the ministry had initially offered.
As of December 19, 2024, all respective cheques were prepared for the residents who had to be relocated and construction was resumed.
The bridge is now back on track for completion by the end of this year. (Department of Public Information)
