Members of the House Of Assembly debated the Bridge Authority Amendment Bill, 2024 on Wednesday.  The bill seeks to allow the Bridge Authority to “acquire, own, construct, manage, maintain and operate any bridge as designated by the Minister by Order published in the Gazette.”

Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs, the Hon. Clay Sweeting led debate on the bill.  He said, “we are looking at seven bridges across the country…was looking at putting a package together so that hopefully we can, with the approval of funding, have bridges across our country like in Andros and Exuma, that their lifespan has almost deteriorating to the point where it’s kind of scary for people to drive across these bridges. We’re hoping to finish that package this year and hopefully once the funding is approved we can get to moving on some of these.”

The Minister added, “if we ensure that infrastructure is in place and properly maintained we create better environments for investments and visitors alike allowing for an even more robust economy for residents.”

Also contributing to debate on the bill was the Member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama, the Hon. Kwasi Thompson.  The Opposition MP questioned which properties would go into the Bridge Authority.  He said, “I think the member for Central and South Eleuthera, as far as I can recall, only made mention of the bridge in Eleuthera being as their intention of putting that under the Bridge Authority.  Well is that the only one that you intend on putting in the Bridge Authority.  What other bridges do you intend on owning under this Bridge Authority?  What other bridges do you intend on constructing under the Bridge Authority?  What other bridges do you intend on operating under the Bridge Authority? Also anticipate bridges on other islands outside of Eleuthera.”

The Bridge Authority was established in 1988 and has oversight of both bridges between New Providence and Paradise Island.