In Barroblanco, the celebration of the first ‘birthday’ of the collapse of the Michichoa bridge, which connects Santa Ana and Santa Bárbara de Pinto, Magdalena, was announced, scheduled for June 30 as a way to draw the attention of local, departmental and national authorities.
Despite the fact that in July 2023 the Governorate of Carlos Caicedo Omar declared the situation a public calamity, so far no effective measures have been implemented to solve this serious problem. The lack of a functional bridge has exacerbated mobility problems, leaving more than 13,000 people without adequate access to basic services and hindering local economic development.
In response to criticism for the failure to keep its promises, the current departmental administration, headed by Rafael Martínez, who represents the continuation of the “Government of Change”, came out in defense of the previous administration.
The lack of progress is attributed to alleged internal reasons within the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), which have hindered the investment needed for the installation of the new bridge, despite the alleged ‘efforts’ made during the administration of Carlos Caicedo.
“Thanks to the request of former governor Carlos Caicedo, the Ministry of National Defense and Military Operations Engineer Battalion No.90, immediately carried out the feasibility study for the installation of a semi-permanent modular metal structure of 42.67 meters in length. vehicular bridge, and the UNGRD showed its interest in resolving this situation, given that the government did not have the resources, given that more than $1 billion was focused on schools, university campuses, roads, senior living centers, health, hospitals“, they said in a statement.
After a year of negligence, now by order of Martínez they intend to divert $700 million that were destined for other areas, according to what they maintain “to build the foundations of the bridge so that the Army can provide the military bridge it promised“
“We filed a draft ordinance before the Departmental Assembly to allow us to make some credits and countercredits, which is not borrowed money but is what is called the budgetary movements of taking a resource from one item to another item, and being able to use that money for the emergencies that we are currently experiencing in the department of Magdalena“said Efraín Vargas, Secretary of Infrastructure.
