Dear Editor,
On Feb. 17, a press release by the Ministry of Public Works stated that 30 companies have expressed interest for consultancy services to conduct a feasibility study and prepare detailed design for the construction of a bridge across the Corentyne River to connect Guyana with Suriname.
It is highly unusual to engage a consulting firm to prepare a feasibility study for a project and at the same time given an assignment to prepare detailed design and contract documents for it. A feasibility study is intended primarily to determine the financial and economic viability of a project. If it is found viable, the next step would be to ensure that funding is available for the project before any assignment is given for its detailed design, which can be costly. Once finance is assured, a consultant is appointed to prepare a detail design and construction contract documents.
The project is then put out on tender for a construction contractor to build the project in accordance with the drawings, specifications and bid amount. An assessment of the traffic flow between Guyana and Suriname would indicate that the construction of a costly bridge across the Corentyne River would not be a viable project and large subsidies will be required to service the capital investment as well as for its operation and maintenance. The feasibility study should bear this out.
Based on past ill-conceived expenditures on large capital projects such as the Skeldon Sugar Factory, the Amaila Falls Hydro-electric project and the Timehri International Airport, Guyanese should not be burdened with yet another “White Elephant’ since the proposed Corentyne River Bridge will not contribute significantly to the development of the Guyanese economy. Funding is better spent improving the ferry service. Finally, the Government should reconsider its priorities and realize that a Demerara River crossing bridge vis-a’-vis that for the Corentyne River would fit into its national development program and create a producing asset which will realize benefits in a very short period of time.
Yours truly,
Charles Sohan
