Georgetown, Guyana (Sept 17) – The collapse of a section of the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge in Linden has sparked a war of words between the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the government, with both sides trading blame for the disaster that left at least two people injured and rattled the bauxite-mining town.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips, himself a Lindener and retired brigadier, said on Tuesday that the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) bore responsibility, citing years of neglect and failure to carry out inspections, safety upgrades, or structural maintenance under the Bridge Act. He also called for an audit into toll revenues collected up to July 31, accusing the council of negligence.
But the AFC swiftly pushed back. Party chairman David Patterson said the bridge is not under the council’s control but is owned and operated by LINMINE, a state-run entity under NICIL. Routine maintenance, Patterson argued, falls to LINMINE, while major repairs have always been the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Works. In a Facebook post, he accused the PPP/C government of spreading “misinformation” and dodging accountability.
The partial collapse on Sunday evening has deepened frustration in Linden, where residents rely heavily on the aging bridge for daily movement and commerce. With the government pointing to the council and the opposition blaming state agencies, questions remain about who truly failed to prevent the breakdown of one of the town’s most critical pieces of infrastructure.
Officials said work has already started on a new permanent crossing, but opposition voices insist that the immediate priority should be stabilising the existing structure and reassuring residents of their safety.
