A tug and a barge being used at the construction site of the new Demerara River Crossing crashed into the existing Harbour Bridge Sunday night, causing some interference.
But as the relevant authorities probe the incident, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill has assured the public that there will be minimal disruption to bridge and river traffic.
“… we want to let all those who are concerned that yes, there has been an incident but it has not put the bridge out of service.
“The 4AM retraction to allow for vessels to cross will take between 4AM and 5AM in the morning and traffic is flowing right now. There is a controlled situation,” the Public Works Minister said during a Facebook live address after 22:00 hrs Sunday.
Furthermore, he noted that the passage of trucks is being regulated so that additional weight isn’t placed onto the floating bridge.
The tug and barge reportedly drifted from the nearby construction zone and collided with four buoys and two pontoons on the southern side of the Harbour Bridge. Edghill said the relevant stakeholders, including those from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard, are assessing the situation.
On Monday morning, an investigation will commence to determine the cause of the incident and how future recurrences can be prevented.
“Please be assured that everything is being done… There is no need for any public outcry or alarms,” Edghill emphasised.
I could just imagine these type accidents will also happen to the new bridge….just time will tell us, if preventive measures are not put in place…. despite there being a span high enough to allow ships crossing.
If the Baltimore bridge collapse 2 weeks ago is not a warning for Guyana-where a fully loaded ocean tanker
crashed into a pillar….and the rest is history.