Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed is calling for urgent repairs to the East Bank Demerara pedestrian overpasses, warning that deteriorating infrastructure and exposed electrical wiring could pose a serious danger to members of the public, particularly schoolchildren and persons with disabilities.
Mohamed made the call after visiting all five pedestrian overpasses along the East Bank, which were constructed during the tenure of the APNU+AFC administration and cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
On Sunday, Kiskadee Watch visited the pedestrian overpasses and observed varying conditions at the structures.
At the Eccles pedestrian overpass, faulty wiring was observed attached to the structure near the end of the elevator. The elevator was also not operational. The condition of sections of the overpass showed visible deterioration, including rust and openings in parts of the structure.
The Eccles overpass is located in an area used by pedestrians, including students from nearby schools, prompting Mohamed to raise concerns about the potential danger posed by the exposed electrical components.
Mohamed called on Public Utilities and Aviation Minister Deodat Indar to immediately dispatch a team to the location to address what he described as exposed high-voltage wires.
“Send out a team immediately,” Mohamed said, warning that children using the crossing could come into contact with the exposed components.
He also questioned the state of accessibility at the overpass, pointing to the non-functioning elevator and the absence of what he described as adequate wheelchair access.
At the Houston pedestrian overpass, Kiskadee Watch observed that the lift designated for persons with disabilities was not operational. However, unlike the situation observed at Eccles, the area appeared generally walkable and clean, with the main visible concerns being wear and tear and rusting on sections of the structure.
At the pedestrian overpass near the intersection of the old Demerara Harbour Bridge, Kiskadee Watch observed that it was the only one visited where the lighting appeared to be fully operational, with the light bulbs working at the time of the visit.
Mohamed said his inspection found that only two of the five overpasses had functioning lights during his evening visits.
He argued that the condition of the infrastructure should not become a political issue based on which administration constructed it.
“This money doesn’t belong to APNU or the PPP. It belongs to the people of Guyana,” Mohamed said, calling for successive governments to maintain infrastructure rather than allowing projects constructed by previous administrations to deteriorate.
He accused the PPP Government of failing to properly maintain the pedestrian overpasses while prioritising political messaging and electronic billboards.
Mohamed also criticised the lack of accessibility for persons with disabilities, questioning how wheelchair users are expected to safely access the crossings when elevators are out of service and appropriate ramps are unavailable.
The opposition leader urged the government to treat the five East Bank overpasses as public infrastructure requiring continuous maintenance, rather than allowing them to deteriorate because they were constructed under a previous administration.
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