Gov’t Nearing Completion of Negotiations to Acquire Berbice Bridge
The Government of Guyana is moving closer to acquiring full ownership of the Berbice River Bridge, with Public Works Minister Juan Edghill disclosing that negotiations are nearing completion.
The announcement was made on Wednesday during the consideration of the 2026 Budget estimates in the Committee of Supply, as the National Assembly examined allocations under the Ministry of Public Works.
Minister Edghill told the House that once negotiations are concluded, the bridge will become the property of the Ministry of Public Works. He explained that until the process is finalised, the government continues to meet financial obligations tied to the bridge’s operations. “With the Berbice River Bridge, we have to pay the tolls up to a particular time, by which we hope all the negotiations will be completed and it becomes the property of the Ministry of Public Works,” Edghill stated.
Further, the minister noted that once ownership is transferred, the Ministry will assume full responsibility for maintaining the structure and its operations. The disclosure came in response to questions raised by Opposition Member of Parliament Saiku Andrews, who queried why no allocation was listed for subsidies to local organisations, specifically in relation to the Berbice Bridge.
In his response, Edghill reminded the Assembly that the government had previously announced the removal of tolls for three major bridges: the Demerara Harbour Bridge, the Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge, and the Berbice Bridge. Since tolls were abolished, he said, the government has been absorbing operational expenses to ensure uninterrupted service, including the payment of staff and routine maintenance.
He noted that allocations were previously appropriated to compensate bridge operations based on a formula tied to monthly expenses. While the current budget may not show a specific line item labelled as a bridge subsidy, the minister assured that provisions were made within the broader allocations.
Most notably, Edghill revealed that financial assessments indicate the cost for government acquisition of the Berbice Bridge would be less than what the Treasury would have paid in toll revenue for one year. “I want to take this opportunity to inform the House that the government is on its way to owning the Berbice Bridge,” he said.
meanwhile , Opposition MP Amanza Walton-Desir also sought clarity on how advanced the negotiations were. While the minister did not provide detailed specifics, he indicated that discussions have progressed toward full government ownership.
The Berbice River Bridge was commissioned in December 2008 and has been privately operated since its opening. The bridge was constructed under a public private partnership arrangement and is owned by the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated. Over the years, concerns were raised about toll rates, with commuters and businesses in Region Six frequently calling for reductions due to the financial burden.
The bridge serves as a critical link between Regions Five and Six, supporting daily travel, commerce, agriculture and cross regional trade. Its importance grew significantly with the expansion of economic activities in Berbice and surrounding communities. During further scrutiny of the estimates, questions were also raised about allocations for the maintenance of the bridge. Minister Edghill clarified that funds budgeted under bridge maintenance will remain under the control of the Ministry of Public Works and will not be handed over directly to the bridge company.
Under the 2026 capital budget, approximately $24 billion has been allocated for bridges nationwide, reflecting what the government says is its continued investment in critical transport infrastructure.
If finalised, the acquisition of the Berbice River Bridge would mark a significant shift from private to full state ownership, placing one of the country’s key transport assets under direct government management.
