Dear Editor,
I welcome the construction of the Puruni Bridge and the opportunity it presents to open up the interior, connect communities, strengthen mining and forestry, and improve the roads and infrastructure needed to expand economic activity across the hinterland.
The support for development does not mean that we should remain silent when legitimate questions are raised about the quality and integrity of a major piece of infrastructure.
The concern is not about whether the bridge should be built. It should. The concern is whether it is being built to the engineering standards required to withstand the conditions and loads it will face for decades to come.
Photographs and information coming from persons on site have raised concerns about some of the materials reportedly being installed. Some appear heavily rusted, distorted or crooked. I am no engineer, however the concerns are serious enough to warrant a proper technical assessment.
Before any material is installed as part of this bridge, it should be properly inspected, tested and certified to ensure that it meets the required engineering specifications. Steel, connections, welds, load bearing members and other critical components must be assessed for quality, strength, dimensions and structural suitability before they become part of the finished structure.
This is especially important because the Puruni Bridge is expected to serve a major mining and forestry corridor. Heavy trucks, mining equipment, fuel vehicles and logging machinery will place significant and sustained loads on the structure.
The fundamental question I am asking is simple: Are the materials being used certified, fit for purpose and capable of safely carrying the weight and traffic this bridge is expected to bear?
I believe the Ministries of Natural Resources and Public Works have a responsibility to provide clear answers and to ensure that the appropriate technical oversight is being exercised throughout construction.
I am calling for a proper assessment of the materials being used, particularly those that have raised concerns, before they are incorporated into the structure. It is far better to identify and address a problem at the point of inspection than to discover years later that a structural component was unsuitable, compromised or below the required standard.
The people of Guyana deserve a bridge that is safe, durable and properly constructed. The people of the interior deserve infrastructure that will stand the test of time and support the economic activity that the region has the potential to generate.
I want to see the Puruni Bridge completed. I want to see the interior opened up. I want to see better roads, stronger connections and greater economic opportunity for communities across the hinterland.
But development must be accompanied by quality, engineering discipline and proper oversight.
Build the bridge properly. Inspect the materials before they are used. Test and certify every critical component. Follow the engineering standards. Build the Puruni bridge to last.
Yours truly
Hon. K. Sharma Solomon
Member of Parliament
APNU Representative for Natural Resources
