Bridging… eras

Your Eyewitness was quite pleased that Burnham and the PNC’s role in first bridging the Demerara River back in 1978. We gotta place everything in its time and place – and back then the claimed “Longest Floating Bridge in the world” did allow the hundreds of cars and trucks that needed to cross the River much easier passage than having them be loaded onto the ferries between Vreed en Hoop and Stabroek Market. But there were other benefits. Your Eyewitness remembers Dep Mayor Robert Williams reminding a meeting at Stabroek Market Square that one of the PNC’s major accomplishments was the Bridge: it allowed them to get over to Tony’s on West Bank for a good sport – and return in the wee hours of the morning!!
Anyhow, we now have our modern steel-wire suspension bridge. It’s forbear, of course, is the venerable Brooklyn Bridge that was opened in 1883! That’s supported by four cables, each 3578 feet long, 15.5 inches thick, and made up of 21,000 individual wires. We’re told that our cables are 8 inches thick – but then steel’s tensile strength can be improved so much more nowadays!! Our Bridge was built by the Chinese – who’ve become the world’s Bridge-builders par excellence!!
While we (rightfully) should be pretty chuffed at our bridge – with a main span of 984 feet and overall length of 6078 feet – they just opened one that’s the highest in the world!! At a height of 2,051 feet and a main span of 4,659 feet, it offers a glass elevator to a RESTAURANT at the top, a 1,900-foot glass walkway, and bungee jumping!! Maybe we can include that restaurant when we build tha new Berbice River Bridge?? The Chinese Ambassador emphasized that our bridge – which they also provided the loan – was part of their Belt and Road Initiative on infrastructure that they’ve strategically used to gain friends and influence countries. The Yanks have warn it’s a strategy to control countries since they could take over the project if loans are defaulted. Thankfully, our oil revenues should preempt that move!!
The biggest surprise at the opening ceremony was when Pres Ali declared that it was named the “Bharat Jagdeo Demerara Harbour Bridge”. While infrastructural projects have been named after living persons in other countries – it’s not the norm since it’s claimed the person’s legacy is still open. However, as Pressie pointed out, Jagdeo’s contributions to Guyana’s survival and development have been transformative!! Him taking on the armed rebellion against the state post-2002 alone justifies the honour!! And your Eyewitness believes a person should know he’s appreciated before he passes.
We should look at the BJDRB as setting a new standard for our development. It should mark our transition from Third World to First!!

…sanctions and crimes
Sanction Man and his doting dad were sanctioned by the US OFAC since 2024 – for reportedly “evading US$50M dollars in taxes owed to the GRA by smuggling gold out of the country and evading said axes”!! Now, your Eyewitness had said from the beginning that there had to be more in the mortar than the pestle!! Why would the Yanks be so solicitous about our lost taxes??
Well, today, the other foot – maybe the guillotine? – dropped!! The Florida Southern District Court just slapped 11 criminal charges on the Mohammeds – cause they used corporations registered in the Florida to pull off their heists and as such gave Florida Cours jurisdiction!! They’re gonna will be extradited to Florida via the extradition treaty with the US.
While the twosome were very slick with juggling four corporations like a three-card monte game to hide the gold smuggling, they slipped up to commit mail and wire fraud!!
It’s like Al Capone nabbed on ax charges – not murders!!

…the vacuum
They say that nature abhors a vacuum…and immediately fill any appearing with whatever’s around -even planets in Black Holes!! So, the question is who’s gonna fill the vacuum created when Sanction Man gets his orange jump-suit??
Doggie or Fatta??