By Delicia Janneire | January 6, 2025
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, has attributed political interference as the primary reason for the delays in the construction of the New Demerara River Bridge.
Speaking at his ministry’s 2024 End of Year Press Conference, Edghill stated that local political divisiveness and opposition efforts aimed at hindering national development were key obstacles in the project’s progress.
He explained that certain property owners in the path of the bridge’s construction had been influenced by political activists, which led to further setbacks.
Edghill recounted the case of one individual living on government-owned land who was offered compensation and land title but was advised against accepting the offer by political factions.
The matter was later taken to court, where the judge ruled that the person would receive compensation but not the title, as the land was on a government reserve.
As a result of these delays, the expected completion date for the bridge has been extended to August 31, 2025, five months later than the previous deadline of March 31, 2025, which itself had been pushed back from the original target of December 2024.
The project continues to face hurdles as political influence persists in attempting to disrupt its progress.