Linden Bridge toll to be hiked

Last Updated on Wednesday, 8 October 2014, 18:27 by GxMedia

Vehicles traversing the Mackenzie- Linden Bridge will soon have to pay more to cross that small but important artery to many parts of Guyana’s interior, government announced on Wednesday.

The new rates have not yet been provided.

Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon told a news conference that the new toll structure would see the bridge yielding  about GUY$8 to GUY$10 million more. He said that 70 percent of the revenue would go to the Linden Interim Management Committee to help finance the operations of the municipality.

The remaining 30 percent would be deposited into the account of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL)- government’s holding company for a number of state-owned assets, he said.

Transport Minister, Robeson Benn is expected to sign the order shortly for the increase in tolls to cross the bridge. The IMC’s earlier move to hike the tolls from September 1 were overruled by the government. 

Vehicles going to and from Mahdia, Lethem, Omai and other interior locations cross that bridge daily. In addition to wooden boats, the bridge also serves persons crossing to and from both sides of the town.