Gov’t, Linden Town Council to discuss bridge toll

The government is expected to meet with the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) after concerns were raised over possible revenue loss following the announcement that the Mackenzie-Wismar bridge will be toll-free from 1st August.
This was revealed by Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, during his weekly press briefing at Freedom House on Thursday.
Toll revenue from the Mackenzie-Wismar bridge is one of the main sources of income for the council and the Linden community.
Speaking on Thursday, Dr Jagdeo said he is aware that the announcement has provoked a reaction from the People’s National Congress (PNC), which has claimed that this move will affect the council’s revenue.
Following the announcement, similar concerns were also raised by officials and residents in the Linden community. However, the Vice President assured that a meeting will be held with the council.
“So, let me tell you that the President has already announced that all the people will benefit from this. The people in Berbice, Regions Five and Six, the people in Regions Four and Three, who use the bridge, and also the people in Region 10, or anyone else who uses the bridge. We don’t have many different policies; however, we will meet with the Town Council in Linden. We will meet with them to discuss this matter,” Dr Jagdeo stated.
As it relates to Berbice, the Vice President, when asked by a reporter about the arrangements for the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) and the LM&TC, as well as the future of employees working on the bridges, reassured that employees attached to the toll-free bridges have nothing to fear regarding job security.
“The discussions are ongoing with the Berbice Bridge Company. I don’t know where they are now, but clearly, there would be some arrangement of that nature. The employees of the bridge will still need to operate the bridge until the new bridge comes online, which will be a while from now. So, the employees have nothing to fear about the government being part of this arrangement or taking over the bridge. They will need to work with the shareholders of that bridge, and as I’ve said before, we’ll have to meet with the town council in Linden,” he reassured.