The Linden Mayor and Town Council (LMTC) has fiercely rejected recent statements made by Prime Minister Mark Phillips over the collapse of the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge, accusing the government of misrepresenting the Council’s role and shirking its own responsibilities.
The Bridge partially collapsed Sunday, September 14, 2025, causing injury major disruptions to transportation and raising urgent safety concerns.
In a strongly worded statement issued Wednesday and reinforced by Mayor Sharma Solomon via social media yesterday, the Council challenged the Prime Minister’s claim that the LMTC bore responsibility for maintaining the bridge, calling his remarks either “inexcusable ignorance or willful deceit.”
“The Linden Town Council wishes to clarify and correct the statements made by Prime Minister Hon. Mark Phillips regarding the maintenance and administration of the Wismar Mackenzie Bridge,” Mayor Solomon stated, defending the Council’s position. “Contrary to claims that the Council bears responsibility for the neglect of the bridge, it is untrue.”
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Phillips publicly attributed the collapse of the key Region 10 crossing to what he called “years of neglect” by the LMTC. He asserted that the Council has long had legal responsibility under the Bridge Act and had collected tolls—up until July 31, 2025—that should have been used for inspections, safety upgrades, and maintenance. Suggesting mismanagement of funds, Phillips said an independent audit could uncover “negligence, poor prioritisation, and potential misuse of funds.”
But the Council refuted this narrative, stating clearly: “The assertion that the Council was responsible for maintaining the bridge is incorrect.” The LMTC pointed out that the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge has historically been maintained by LINMINE, which is now under the control of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), a government agency.
They further clarified that a 2014 order by the then-People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government approved a toll increase for the bridge along with a revenue-sharing arrangement between NICIL and the Council. That agreement, which was officially gazetted, remains in effect today. However, the LMTC accused the central government of failing to remit its share of the revenue in recent years—impacting the Council’s capacity to perform its duties.
“Minor repairs were consistently carried out by LINMINE, while major repairs were funded through the Ministry of Works via yearly budget allocations,” the Council explained. “All decisions regarding toll levels, including increases or removals, were made solely by the government of Guyana.”
Mayor Solomon emphasised that the government must accept accountability. “The Council calls upon the Prime Minister to set the record straight and to acknowledge that the responsibility for the bridge’s maintenance has always laid with the relevant government agencies, not the Council.”
As residents and commuters continue to face disruptions from the collapse, Mayor Solomon extended concern for those injured in the incident, saying, “We extend our wishes for a complete and swift recovery.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Phillips has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to constructing a new, modern river crossing in Linden, which he says will boost safety, commerce, tourism, and transport in Region 10.
But amid finger-pointing over responsibility for the deteriorating bridge, the incident has once again exposed deep administrative and political divides between central and local authorities in the region.
