New Linden bridge named after former President Samuel Hinds

Last Updated on Sunday, 15 November 2026, 19:10 by Written By Denis Chabrol

The new US$35 million Mackenzie-Wismar bridge across the Demerara River was Sunday commissioned and named after former Prime Minister and President, Samuel Hinds, President Irfaan Ali said.

“From now and henceforth the bridge will be named as the Samuel Hinds River Bridge, Wismar-Mackenzie,” the President said.

Dr Ali also announced that the access road at the Mackenzie end of the new 233-metre long four-lane bridge after Robert Corbin, late former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) leader and former Deputy Prime Minister. Mr Corbin’s brother, Charles Corbin, represented the family. Mr Corbin was PNCR leader from 2002 and 2012, having succeeded Desmond Hoyte. he joined the PNCR’s youth army in the 1970s and quickly found his way on that party’s central executive. He eventually became the PNCR’s general secretary.

At the Wismar end, the approach road was named after Prime Minister Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips. He is a former Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force. After retirement, he joined the PPPC as Dr Ali’s prime ministerial running mate in 2020 and 2025.

Mr Hinds, a former long-serving Canadian-trained chemical engineer in the bauxite industry, moved from Mahaicony to Linden where he worked for several decades.  He entered the political landscape through the pressure group, Guyana Action for Reform and Democracy (GUARD), for free and fair elections and became then People’s Progressive Party Civic leader Dr Cheddi Jagan’s prime ministerial running mate. Mr Hinds serves as Guyana’s Ambassador to the United States.

After the PPPC won the 1992 general and regional elections, Mr Hinds was appointed Prime Minister until the PPPC lost the 2015 general and regional elections. He was elevated to the presidency after President Janet Jagan’s demise in 2009 until the 2011 general elections when he became Prime Minister again.

The old one-lane bridge is almost 60 years, having been constructed in 1968 to move bauxite ore from Wismar-Mackenzie.  “Today, we change that experience permanently,” said Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said. Over the decades, that bridge has become a key artery to roads leading to other interior regions such as Region 9 (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) and Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).