Aris Mining has said that materials shown in photographs which prompted questions about the planned new Puruni River Bridge are associated with a temporary truss and will not form part of the permanent structure.
The company issued the clarification yesterday after APNU Member of Parliament Sharma Solomon called for a technical assessment of materials at the construction site, some of which he said appeared “heavily rusted, distorted or crooked”.
“Some of the materials shown in these photographs are associated with a temporary truss structure being used to facilitate construction activities. These materials are not components of the new permanent Puruni River Bridge,” Aris Mining Toroparu Inc said in a statement signed by its Guyana Country Manager Adrian Rollke.
The company said the new 109-metre permanent bridge was being built with new materials in accordance with the approved engineering design, specifications and applicable construction standards.
It added that construction was being undertaken in coordination with the ministries of Natural Resources and Public Works and other relevant government agencies.
Aris said it remained committed to delivering a safe and durable bridge which would improve connectivity and provide long-term benefits to communities, businesses and other users of the Puruni corridor.
In a letter to Kiskadee Watch, Solomon welcomed the construction of the bridge but said photographs and information from persons at the site had raised concerns about some of the materials reportedly being installed.
“I am no engineer, however the concerns are serious enough to warrant a proper technical assessment,” he wrote.
Solomon said that before any material was incorporated into the bridge, it should be inspected, tested and certified as meeting the required engineering specifications.
He called for the steel, connections, welds, load-bearing members and other critical components to be assessed for quality, strength, dimensions and structural suitability.
The MP noted that the bridge was expected to serve a major mining and forestry corridor and would be used by heavy trucks, mining equipment, fuel vehicles and logging machinery.
He asked whether the materials were certified, fit for purpose and capable of safely carrying the weight and traffic the bridge was expected to bear. Solomon said the ministries of Natural Resources and Public Works had a responsibility to provide clear answers and ensure proper technical supervision throughout construction.
Kiskadee Watch reported on Sunday that the project was being undertaken by Canadian company Aris Mining, which is pursuing gold exploration at Toroparu in Region Seven.
Kiskadee Watch had noted that the ministry’s announcement provided no cost for the bridge or information on how it would be financed.
The ministry is coordinating the project, while the Ministry of Public Works is responsible for technical oversight. Completion is scheduled for December.
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