China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) signed a construction contract for a new Demerara River Bridge with the Ministry of Public Works of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on Wednesday in the capital Georgetown, which is the largest local transportation infrastructure project, the company told the Global Times on Thursday. 

The bridge is a reinforced concrete bridge spanning the Demerara River with the main bridge adopting a cable-stayed structure. The new bridge is about 2,800 meters long with a designed speed of 80 kilometers per hour and a service life of 100 years. The major engineering projects include the main bridge, traffic signs, drainage system, and other aspects. 

As 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Guyana, the signing of the project is another significant achievement representing the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, Guo Haiyan, the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana said at the signing ceremony. 

Guo noted that the completion of the project will efficiently promote the logistics and transportation between both sides of the river, save the travel cost of residents and boost the economic development of surrounding areas. 

Guyana has been rapidly developing in various sectors especially with the infrastructure, as the country ushers in the “infrastructure era,” Ashni Singh, Minister of Finance of Guyana said at the signing ceremony, according to the Chinese Embassy to Guyana. 

The new Demerara River Bridge is located around 600 meters south of the current used bridge, which was established in 1978 as a two-lane steel pontoon bridge with a limited transportation capacity for ships and low efficiency. The new bridge will shorten the passage time by three quarters, expand the vessel traffic by more than two times, and greatly reduce the daily maintenance cost of the bridge.

Guo further noted that the Chinese government encourages capable Chinese enterprises to cooperate with Guyana to promote local economic and social development, adding that China is willing to take the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations as an opportunity to further deepen bilateral relations with the Guyanese side and expand pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

Global Times