Brazil's Ambassador to Guyana, Ney Do Prado Dieguez, has assured that the construction of the bridge over the Takutu River will restart soon after the completion of a routine state audit of the project.

Work stopped in February to facilitate the audit by Brazil's Accounting Tribunal which the ambassador said was normal practice at this time of the year.

"While this inspection is going on the funds [being used to build the bridge] will be suspended but I do not expect there would be a change in schedule," Dieguez told Stabroek News. He said that the same contracting company would continue the work since the audit had nothing to do with the contractor.

The construction of the bridge began before an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as is required according to the laws of Guyana.

When contacted, environmental management director of the EPA, Dr David Singh, said that when the agency got involved the authorities were contacted and it was recognised that the issue was one of trans-boundary access to be provided by the bridge which would be done in two phases.

A decision was made by the EPA to approve a construction permit for Phase One under the condition that an EIA be prepared for the second phase. Phase One is the construction of piers three and four and the abutment to the bridge in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo).

The Takutu bridge is expected to be completed in August 2002.

Work on the Guyana side should commence soon so that the access road will be completed in time for the bridge commissioning some time in October this year.

According to a summary from the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, the project would comprise the access road, the construction of a multi-purpose facility and a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) quarters, and the setting up of a parking area, security fencing and lights, costing a total of some $75.5 million.

The site chosen for the bridge is 100 metres away from the present pontoon crossing. The bridge, when completed will be of reinforced concrete supported on four piers, two on either side of the Takutu River. The approach spans are 65 metres apart and the central span is 100 metres. The bridge will be 14 metres wide to accommodate two-lane traffic and will include pedestrian walkways on either side.

The new access road of approximately 1,500 metres will be constructed to link the bridge to the Linden-Lethem road. The access road to the bridge would provide for the changeover from Guyana's left hand side style of driving to Brazil's right hand side.

The access road to the Takutu bridge is part of the development of the infrastructure in order to support the road link with the state of Roraima, Brazil, and Georgetown. The bridge and the Linden-Lethem road will provide north-eastern Brazil with direct access to the Atlantic seaboard and will link up with the Trans-Amazonia highway. For Brazil, this link will present a more attractive option for the export of goods than the existing route through Manaus. In terms of distance, the new highway will represent a reduced distance of some 567 kilometres.

A port facility would be established at the bridge crossing in order to provide security and control the movement of people, goods and animals. The port facility will comprise a multi-purpose building, a GDF outpost, truck scales, parking, housing for personnel, and drive-thru baths to provide for control of foot and mouth disease.

Material for the construction of the reinforced concrete bridge across the Takutu is being provided from the Brazilian side. Sand and gravel for the concrete works would be dredged from the sand bars in the Takutu River.

On the Guyana side, material for the access road will come from approved laterite sources. Sand and gravel for the construction of the port facility and supporting buildings will be purchased from the Brazilian side. Other building materials will be bought from suppliers at Lethem or Bom Fin, the Brazilian border town.

The ministry said all construction work will be done using local contractors with labour from Lethem and the surrounding communities. Equipment for the road works and building construction will be provided by the contractors.

The ministry has concluded that the construction of the Takutu bridge, access road on the Guyana side to link the bridge, the port facility and ancillary buildings, will have significant impacts on the environment. However, the ministry noted that the impacts, to a large extent, may be mitigated or avoided through good engineering practice and planning.

The area of land to be occupied by the road is determined by the right of way required which is 16.5 metres, comprising the seven-metre carriageway; 2.4 metres shoulders and 7.1 metres drains. The land area for the port facilities and ancillary buildings is approximately 11.5 acres.

The access road and port facility would drain into the Takutu River and its tributary--Tabatinga River. No bridges are needed for the access road but at least three culverts will be required for adequate drainage of the access road.

Approximately 1,500 cubic metres of laterite would be required to construct the road base. The sources will be identified by the local Neighbourhood Democratic Council and Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development.

Vegetation will be removed to construct the road and the port facility. But the ministry said this was unlikely to create any significant negative impact on the habitat of any endangered species or other animals. This area is not suited for grassland or cattle.

The ministry concluded that the access road and the port facility will have both positive and negative impacts on the socio-economic well being of the area. It said with the exception of road safety, impacts of the access road and port facility will be limited to the construction period.

Positive impacts will centre around the employment opportunities during the construction period and during the operation and maintenance of the port facility.

The ministry found that one family lived within the right of way required and a solution has to be worked out for their relocation.

The construction of the access road will take approximately two months and the port facility and ancillary buildings about four months.