The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY a week after the bridge connecting Spanish Wells and Russell Island collapsed, Minister of Works Desmond Bannister said yesterday that construction workers are “actively working” to deconstruct the damaged bridge and replace it with a new one.

Noting that the bridge has been deteriorating for several years, Mr Bannister told reporters that installing a new bridge between the two communities had been a priority for his ministry.

However, he said construction was delayed by losses incurred to the contractor’s equipment during Hurricane Dorian and the recent COVID-19 restrictions.

“In July of last year, the government and Cabinet approved of a contractor for Spanish Wells. That contractor has purchased what we call ‘a custom-made kit bridge’. A bridge was made just for Spanish Wells,” he said. “That bridge is sitting in nine containers right there in Russell Island, right now and it’s been sitting there.

“…(However) with COVID-19 and all the shutdowns and all the other challenges and with Dorian, the contractor had much of his equipment destroyed. He is actively working now to be able to deconstruct the old bridge and to put the new bridge which is sitting right there in Spanish Wells and erect that there.

“So, the thing is to ensure that that bridge is installed properly but I want all Bahamians to understand the critical nature of this infrastructure.”

Two vehicles were on the bridge when it collapsed, a heavy duty truck and a golf cart, however no one was injured. Water supply has also been restored to the island since the incident.

It is not clear when the new bridge will be installed. However, Mr Bannister maintained that the government is committed to repairing and replacing all damaged bridges throughout the country.

He said: “We have dangerous bridges right now that we are looking at in Andros and I keep saying that…We have a bridge in Exuma, two of them.

“We have bridges throughout this country that for decades have sat there that we need to ensure that can be safe for people to cross. Just this year, we finished inspection with respect to the Paradise Island Bridge and these are ongoing works all of the time that our structural engineers are looking at.

“It’s very important for us to plead with Bahamians to not go over the limits that those bridges have. If you have a concrete truck that is filled with sand and you have a bridge that is compromised, you don’t take the truck across that bridge.

“That’s what happened in Spanish Wells.”