Authorities are now seeking various ways to replace the Hampstead Bridge after it collapsed on Tuesday.
Two years ago, the bridge was heavily impacted by Hurricane Maria.
“Over the period of Hurricane Maria, there was quite a bit of undermining and erosion [that] took place…,” Public Works Minister, Dr. John Colin McIntyre, explained.
According to him, government was already working on that bridge in order to repair the abutment.
The minister said that the government had engaged company to go in there and repair the abutment but in the repair process and because of the undermining the abutment collapsed.
He mentioned that various options for repairing the bridge have been established.
Some of the options include lifting the bridge, installing a bailey bridge, “and of course whether we look at a new bridge.”
On Tuesday night, a bypass was created in the Hampstead area to facilitate motorists following the collapse of the bridge.
But how a Vet is the Min. Of Public Works ? In any case, that Minister is just a big bobol. He will go off into oblivion after elections.
The Almighty is not sleeping. We have local Engineers who can do the job, wickedness giving it foreigners. You will spend the money you want to hide.
Labour ka twavay. 😒
Airport coming. Bridge 🌉 coming too… Santa Claus🎅 is also real.
The bridge fell because they dug around the abutment, end of story. Who would do or allow something like that to be done is another story.
Who’s gonna pay for it again pains me.
This incident should serve as precedence for this and future governments to put qualified people n Companies in place when performing such important jobs.
Still pissed and want to know who’s gonna pay for this gross incompetence n who’s getting fired.
Lets undermine a bridge so we can spend another $18 million dallars so someone can pocket a lot of money.
Thank goodness no one got hurt with this negligent behavior by our government. These guys knew the hazard associated with the bridge and decided to do nothing until the bridge collapsed…. what does that say about leadership in this country…. think about it
Unbelievable that the government was well aware of the hazards associated with this bridge and decided to do nothing until the bridge finally collapsed. What does that truly say about the leadership of this country… think about that
Built by Freedom,
Protected by Workers
Destroyed by Labour
They break it so we can have another #madebyChina bridge !!
I’m not an Engineer but i do work for an Engineering company, we have built thousands of bridges around the world and not one of those bridges were built on a river bed no matter the size of the river.
Just basic common sense would tell someone not to build a bridge on a river bed much-less for one that’s built in the river.
This government has failed us in every section of development. Call the elections, i am ready to vote.
That’s nice of you to blame this government, but that bridge was there for ages , it was built before DLP came in power. For those that saying this goverment destroy the bridge , we live in a region where hurricanes are common. Stop blaming the goverment for every mishap , let’s instead be thankful that no one was hurt, in the collapsing of the bridge.
So you’re saying if you inherit a problem you won’t fix? You’ll just sit there and say you’re not the one who created it? It is still the responsibility of the government to fix it, no matter what party.
Is people like you who think the way you do that are responsible for the nonsense that going on Dominica
Here is Proverbs 28: 1-6(CEV) with my commentary as it applies to Dominica
28 Wicked people run away (Like Skerrit)
when no one chases them,
but those who live right- (Linton)
are as brave as lions.
2
In time of civil war there are many leaders, (Who is our PM? Some say Skerrit, some say Tony, some say Haden…)
But a sensible leader restores law and order. (That’s why change is a MUST)
3
When someone poor takes over and mistreats the poor, it’s like a heavy rain destroying the crops. (That’s why DA CANNOT prosper under Skerrit)
4
Lawbreakers praise criminals, but law-abiding citizens always oppose ( That’s why they hate Linton).
5
Criminals don’t know what justice means, (No Law No constitution)
but all who respect the Lord
understand it completely.
6
It’s better to be poor and live right, than to be rich and dishonest (King Dice)
Lawbreakers praise criminals,
but law-abiding citizens
always…
@La Swa Native, Thank you for the explanation; Thumbs #8 is mine to you. And let us not worry about the financial resource that will be needed to repair that bridge. God will provide!
“God will provide!” You are kidding me, right?
“Dominica Strong boy”. Dominica is now the FIRST resilient country in the entire world! We even got an award for being so resilient but Skerrit gave it to his friend to hold. No hurricane, no storm, no wind, and yet a bridge collapsing just like that? Well last week I heard Skerrit boasting those west Coast bridges that fell during Erika and said they are capable of standing up to category 5 hurricane as if to suggest it was Maria that destroyed all three bridges since 2015. So I hope his new China bridges are able to standup to any flood, rain storm or even Earthquake.
Every week in Da is a stress man. Are we at war and our enemy just keeps bombing us?
Proverbs 28:1- 4 describes us:
1The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
2. When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers,
but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.
3.A destitute leader[a] who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no food.
Only in Dca😂😂😂. I am assuming that some kool-out money will be diverted to this project ASAP . This collapse is too rally the fault of the operator who dug under the existing abutment. Jah help us in Dca. Everything is upside down . How long? Not long!
Welcome to Dominica, the island of government corruption and government incompetence!
Well, They wasnt Twavaiing nuh. Things not Safer with them nuh? Ive heard too much ignorance from grown educated people who i even HAD respect for. One feller ask if is skerrit that throw down the bridge. Then he went on to ask when was the bridge built, so as to divert the blame to the people who built it. To be honest, i dont know what im paying road taxes for. ALLL of this needs to be checked regularly. Dont our engineers see there is work to be done? Why arent the bridges checked regularly? Why arent our roadways any safer? Simply resurfacing a road can actually make it more dangerous. then the red fools will say that the people not sining their song are never satisfied. How can i be satisfied with work half way done? roads with no gutters or lighting or sidewalks cannot be safe. Bridges that are not inspected and kept up to code. Look at Macoucherie, since 2015 we have to use that questionable bypass. Look not this bridge. Look at Layou, the hillborough bridge. i mean, come on man
Pm I think you should stop encouraging laziness and hand out and create jobs the country structures are going down the drain fix the place
and you know that not going to fix now every time it rain that bypass going to be washed away guaranteed
This was a totally avoidable collapse. It can be squarely blamed on the engineers and operators. I know the bridge well and walked under it in the river many times since Hurricane Maria. It was secure. I saw work going on last week and thought “What madness is going on there?”.
DNO’s second photo says it all: The operator undermined the bridge abutment by digging a trench in the river right in front of the cast concrete abutment. The weight of the cast concrete and steel girder bridge, built strongly by the Canadian Sintra company in the 1980s, forced the abutment to slip into the trench and the deck of the bridge collapsed down on top of it. Do not give us any nonsense about Maria.
Now the authorities are rushing around trying to make up excuses. Look out for the millions of dollars that now will have to be found to build a replacement while motorists (including Kempinski 5***** guests) pass in the river on a tarrish bypass subject to flooding for the next couple of years!
Hear, hear, hear. Indeed, what now Kempinski, suppose to be oprational in three weeks time? How are the guest going from the airport to that 5 star hotel. I hear the boss lamenting he can not do everything but he well boasting re run everything in Dominica. The place is not that big you know Roosevelt. Maybe you should spend more time at home?
Kempinski is still a pipe dream. If it’s going to be opened at all, and that is a big IF, the next question how long will it stay open! The past record of the Skerrit regime in issues like that is not exactly encouraging. Remember the Moroccan Hotel, remember the Geothermal, remember the coffee factory, remember the abattoir…
Let’s face it, this PM and it’s administration is useless. By the way Skerrit, where is our money?
The dredging of the Roseau River is a similar scenario. The mid-stream bridgr piers, vulnerable at the best of times, are now all the more so.
@La Swa Native – Very, very, very, very interesting observations you have pointed out.
Since yesterday, I’ve been wondering a few things about this collapse. Do you know who was the contractor on this project?
You are absolutely correct. Any engineer with commonsense would first instal support befor any digging for two main reasons. 1) to avoid sudden collapse 2) most important to remove risk of killing someone if failure lead to sudden collapse. I think the contractor need to pay for the bridge repair out of there own pocket. This is pure madness if you ask me. I saw the pics yesterday and without seei g the second photo i could tell thats what happened because of the way bridge collapse
i am not a frequent user of this road but from what i can see this looks like a problem that was waiting to happen due to neglect….the abutment appears to have failed……i am sure there were visible signs of failure
i am also certain that there are other roads and similar structures around de island with structural defects waiting for attention….de government doesn’t have a public works department neither a road maintenance dept.
let me guess. you dont know anything about bridge construction the bridge was built solidly. its built how bridges are surposed to be built. the span cannot be anchored or fixed permanently or it will destroy it self. bridges expand and contract with the heat and cold so a solidly anchored bridge will actually destroy itself. what you see hear is what happens when troublesome people go and play with something they have no idea how it works. the abutment was undermined thats why it colasped
Labour is working,smh,yet citizens are @ risk of losing their lives,but he puts on a million dollar concert,why do these people remain so brainwashed.
All the funds that the government received after hurricane Erica for the sole purpose of rebuilding all the bridges that sustained damages, no one knows what happened to these funds. Then, more funds were given after Maria for infrastructure, where are all these funds?
awa what they expect when they were digging under it like that
Wasn’t some heavy equipment recently dredging the Hampstead River?
Wouldn’t that have some effects on the increased turbulence of the water flow caused by the heavy rains?
Couldn’t that increased water flow be the result of the undermining of the bridge and it’s structural integrity?
Hampstead River is the site for the 15th. Anniversary of “WORLD RIVERS DAY” 2019. There are lots of lessons to learn. Come hear the history of this Bridge.
The impact of Climate Change, and the challenges to our Rivers.
Theme: “Waterways of our Communities”
How many years exactly did everybody, INCLUDING ALL OUR LOVELY AND EVER SO CARING MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT, know that the bridge needed urgent attention? Can’t wait for the government to change. As Mr McIntyre so clearly stated: Change is a must!
I hope the bridge is reconstructed stronger and much better to withstand most natural hazards. Hope also the authority can come up with a quick temporary detour.
Ah wanda if dat is was wan AF dem resilient bridge huh!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Yes boy; we de first resilient country on de planet eh!
Only Roosevelt an him minister ah resiliency hab de technology fu build resilient country eh!
The Hampstead Bridge collapsed, where is the River?
Dominica has changed dramatically, even rivers we enjoy when I was a kid seems no longer in existence; there was a certain time of year when we would go from Wesley to that river with large white bed linen and spread them in the Hampstead river to catch titiwii!
I was so small could not carry me bucket of the little critters and me wet white sheet home.
I had to call out for help: I was the smallest kid, someone felt sorry me and decided to lag behind with in the dark until we got back to Wesley.
Everything is falling apart, that bridge is in Roosevelt Skerrit backyard, couldn’t he have seen it was falling apart?
It is located about three miles or less from Roosevelt village, if he travels the North Road he could not have missed it.
Rather than misappropriating more than a billion dollars diverting it into buying votes he should have built a new bridge!