Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips has blamed the collapse of a section of the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), on Sunday evening on what he described as long-standing failure and neglect by the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC). In a statement issued on Monday, the PM extended sympathy to those injured in the incident and wished them a full recovery. However, he expressed concern over what he called an attempt by Linden Mayor Sharma Solomon to shift blame onto the Government.
“The LM&TC, by its own admission, has long held legal responsibility under the Bridge Act for the oversight and maintenance of the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge,” Phillips stated. He noted that tolls were collected up to July 31, 2025, which provided the council with a steady stream of revenue.
He questioned whether those revenues were used for their intended purpose—namely, structural maintenance, safety upgrades, lighting, and regular inspections. Phillips further suggested that an independent audit of the toll revenues collected between August 2020 and July 2025 would likely reveal negligence and mismanagement. “Safety and maintenance of existing infrastructure are core duties of any municipal authority entrusted with public resources. The LM&TC’s failure to meet those duties, despite collecting toll revenues up to mere weeks ago, is indefensible,” the PM said. He also highlighted the Government’s ongoing investment in a new river crossing at Linden. According to Phillips, construction of a modern, permanent bridge is already underway to replace the ageing structure. The project, he added, is designed to improve safety, support commerce, encourage tourism, and reduce transport inefficiencies in Region 10.
“The new bridge is a forward-looking project, emblematic of a Government that places people’s well-being at the centre of development,” the PM said.
Discover more from Guyana Times
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
