UPDATED: Demerara Harbour Bridge reopened at 9:02 PM

Last Updated on Monday, 10 October 2022, 21:11 by Denis Chabrol

The Demerara Harbour Bridge at 9:02 PM reopened to light vehicular traffic, following severe damage early Saturday morning, according to information circulating in its internal network.

“Good night the bridge is opened back to traffic,” an official told his colleagues at 9:02 PM.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill, speaking from the Bridge, confirmed that cars, minibuses vans, motorcycles and cycles would be allowed to cross the east-west corridor. He said only vehicles up to 10 tonnes would be allowed to cross the bridge which was still undergoing repairs.

General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Wayne Watson said the Bridge would not be retracted until Thursday to allow ocean-going vessels to pass because additional repairs are needed.

The Bridge suffered its worst damage in its more than 40-year long existence when the fuel tanker, MV Tradewinds Passion, slammed into it as it was due to pass through to deliver a consignment of fuel to the Guyana Oil Company.

There was no reported leakage and the vessel was allowed to discharge the fuel.

A Board of Inquiry has been launched to probe the incident, but already drugs and alcohol tests on the Guyanese pilot have come back negative.

The Director General of the Maritime Administration Stephen Thomas said the pilot would almost certainly be banned for life.