The new Demerara River Bridge, named the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, was commissioned on Sunday night, an event Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali said signals the dawn of a new era of transformation.Amid much pomp and fanfare, President Ali emphasised the value of the new bridge.For commuters- thousands of persons who travel daily- it means easy, uninterrupted travelling. This eliminates the long hours of waiting to cross the floating structure.President Ali also said it will spur economic activity on both sides of the river. It is expected that new factories, logistics centres, and corridors of development will rise on both sides of the river because of the ease of travel now facilitated.The ‘Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge’ commissioned as a symbol of Guyana’s transformation (Photo: News Room/Sunday, October 5, 2025)And importantly, the Guyanese Head of State said the structure stands tall as a symbol of his government’s focus on major infrastructural projects that will transform Guyana.“Infrastructure is also a statement; it is a signal to the world that a nation is ready“This bridge signals that Guyana is ready, ready to industrialise, ready to modernise, and ready to claim its space in the 21st century of the world’s economy,” President Ali said.And for President Ali, it was only fitting to dedicate the bridge to a “giant of Guyanese politics” – former President and now Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.According to President Ali, Jagdeo led Guyana diligently for many years and ushered in the recovery of the nation and its first phase of development.The ‘Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge’ commissioned as a symbol of Guyana’s transformation (Photo: News Room/Sunday, October 5, 2025)The new US$262 million structure connects Regions Three and Four, replacing the old floating structure that served for much longer than intended. This new structure has four lanes and will operate round-the-clock, unlike its predecessor, which was intermittently closed to allow ships to pass through.The investment, the President said, shows prudent management of Guyana’s wealth.“This bridge is financed by the deliberate reinvestment of our national resources. Oil revenues, wisely managed, are being converted into structures like this project that deliver benefits to all Guyanese. This bridge is proof that our resources are not squandered but reinvested into the future of our country,” he contended.The post The ‘Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge’ commissioned as a symbol of Guyana’s transformation appeared first on News Room Guyana.