The Government of Guyana has started negotiations with the second rank bidder for the New Demerara River Bridge (NDRB) concession after a disagreement with the preferred bidder over price. Earlier the authority selected China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. as preferred bidder for the development of new bridge, but the quoted price tag of US$256.6 million and higher interest rates prevented the deal.

The authority is now negotiating with a consortium of China Railway Construction Corporation (International) Ltd., China Railway Construction (Caribbean a) Co. Ltd, and China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co. Ltd. If the talks are successful the contract signature is scheduled to be completed by the end of February 2022.

The concession aims to replace the old floating bridge between Houston on the eastern bank of the Demerara River to Versailles on the western bank of the Demerara River. The new bridge will be 1,500 meter-long with a 50 meter-high movable span and two approach roads of a total length of 600 meters.