Amid a celebration by thousands who gathered and tributes that included an air fly-pass formation and a water salute, President Irfaan Ali on Sunday commissioned the new US$260M bridge across the Demerara River, naming it the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge.

President Ali said Vice President Jagdeo, who was Guyana’s longest serving President, has dedicated his life to the advancement of Guyana, and therefore it is fitting for the new bridge to be named in his honour.

“Today, I want to pay tribute to a giant of our local politics and economy – Bharrat Jagdeo,” the President said while adding that “under his watch, Guyana moved from being shackled by debt to standing with dignity. When he assumed the presidency in 1999, it was in the midst of violence and uncertainty, there was an opposition bent on destruction, and a subsequent criminal insurgency aimed at toppling the government. A lesser man would have wilted but Bharrat Jagdeo never blinked,” President Ali said.

The 2.8 Kilometer bridge was constructed by the China Railway Construction (International) Limited and it has a lifespan of 100 years.

President Ali said the bridge is a symbol of modern Guyana, and will fortify the link between Regions Three and Four.

“The benefits of this structure are obvious and immediate. Every commuter will feel it. Every business will benefit from it. Every investor will take note of it. The congestion that crippled productivity will ease. The hidden taxes of wasted fuel, loss hours and frustrated tempers will go slowly away. The bridge will open arteries of commerce and industrialization,” the President said. 

He said the bridge is more than a convenience, adding that it is a magnet for transformation and a launch pad for growth, doing more than just reducing the traffic congestion.

 The high-span Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge replaces the 47-year-old Demerara Harbour Bridge, which is the world’s longest floating bridge.

“For decades, the Demerara Habour Bridge, our old floating bridge served faithfully, and I thank all those who worked relentlessly to keep that bridge in service to the people of our country and we say to you also, with grateful hearts thank you. It carried dreams, burdens and the daily journeys of thousands but its time had long expired; its steel plates grew weary. The bridge became a bottleneck, a source of frustration for commuters, business and family – delays, breakdowns, traffic stalls and endless openings took their toll,” the President said.

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill said the bridge is a direct result of bold and visionary leadership. He said bridge is a modern, four-lane, high span cable-stayed structure designed to accommodate both vehicular and pedestrian traffic with the highest standards of safety and efficiency.

“This engineering master piece is not only a marvel of design and durability but also a symbol of progress, precision and partnership. It stands as a proud testament to what can be achieved when visionary leadership, discipline execution and global collaboration meet,” Minister Edghill said.

Managing Director of China Railway Construction Cooperation Limited (CRCCL), Dongsheng Lee, in his address, said approximately 1,300 workers, the majority of whom were from Guyana and neighbouring countries, worked around the clock to ensure the successful completion of the bridge. Construction took a little over two years.

He said the bridge is a symbol of the country’s growing transformation and the growing partnership between Guyana and China.

China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Yang Yang said notwithstanding the challenges that came with project, China Railway worked tirelessly to ensure its successful completion.

“The new Demerara River Bridge stands as the largest and the most sophisticated transport infrastructure project in Guyana to date, and probably, the Caribbean’s first modern cable-stayed bridge. This project was undertaken by China Railway Construction Corporation International Limited, and completed after 900 days and nights of efforts…and the dedication of more than 1,300 personnel,” Ambassador Yang said.

Construction of the bridge commenced in early 2023. It was originally scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024; however, it faced multiple delays.

Thousands of citizens attended the commissioning and joined the President and other Government officials in the first full length walk across the bridge just after its opening.

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