Chinese company to build Corentyne river bridge

Last Updated on Monday, 9 December 2024, 8:21 by Writer

Guyana and Suriname have selected China Road and Bridge Corporation to construct the 1.1 kilometre bridge across the Corentyne River to link the two countries, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill said Sunday.

“China Road and Bridge has been the preferred evaluated bidder that has been agreed on by both countries,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.

Mr Edghill said construction would begin as soon as both countries finalise financing for the US$236 million project.

Guyana and Suriname, which both enjoy long-standing fraternal relations with China, have approached that East Asian nation to finance the construction of the bridge that would hop from Moleson Creek to Long Island and then on to South Drain in the neighbouring former Dutch colony.

Well-placed sources indicate that Suriname has to be careful about its borrowing because its economic recovery programme has to reach certain global benchmarks.

China Road and Bridge Corporation beat off The Netherlands-headquartered Ballast Nedam to construct the bridge.

Suriname’s Technical Assistant for Capital Infrastructure Projects had said the bridge would have a lifespan of 100 years and low as possible maintenance. The bridge caters for ships of 47,000 dead weight tonnes, a horizontal clearance of 100 metres and vertical clearance of 43 metres.