Caribbean news. Up to press time yesterday, a search was still on to locate the body of a woman who jumped off the Demerara Harbour Bridge on Tuesday afternoon.
The incident which follows a similar one less than a month ago raises serious questions about security at the bridge, and citizens have recommended that the authorities place restrictions on the use of the infrastructure by pedestrians.
According to Demerara Harbour Bridge General Manager Rawlston Adams, staff received a call around 15:20h indicating that a woman had climbed onto a section of the bridge, referred to as ‘Retractor 11’ and from all indications, was preparing to jump.
He noted that upon receiving the call, a female security guard that was on duty at the time immediately made her way to that section. However, upon seeing the security guard approaching, the woman jumped overboard and was not seen again.
The section (right) of the Demerara Harbour Bridge where the woman jumped off
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) was immediately contacted and efforts were being made to have the body retrieved. Adams confirmed to the Guyana Times that the Bridge’s management reviewed the footage and was attempting to discern the woman’s identity. This publication was told that the woman was of African descent and appeared to be in her mid thirties.
On December 23, another woman, who was said to be mentally unstable, took her own life by jumping into the river. Back in August last year, the Harbour Bridge, in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force’s A Division (Georgetown) commissioned a surveillance system valued over $3.1 million at the Police Operations room at the Brickdam Police Station. The system allows Police officers to remotely monitor traffic across the Bridge and activities within its environs.
The cameras span a portion of East Bank Carriageway and West Bank Demerara Public Road off the Bridge. At the launch, Adams had explained that the system would be monitored in a proactive manner and if there was an incident, the Police would take the necessary actions. Out of the 26 cameras at the Harbour Bridge, the Police have access to 18. Footage is recorded on a 24-hour basis and is of a quality that can yield the description of Bridge users with a playback period of over three months. Article courtesy http://www.guyanatimesgy.com
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