WESTERN BUREAU:After years of criticism over delays in rebuilding the Troy Bridge, Trelawny Southern’s Member of Parliament (MP) Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert says she is satisfied that the government chose not to pursue a quick fix, but instead built a more resilient structure.Dalrymple-Philibert, of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), and her opposition counterpart, Manchester North Western MP Mikael Phillips, of the People’s National Party (PNP), had taken differing positions on the pace of the project following the collapse of the original bridge in 2021."For some time now, the cries were loud and sometimes very unkind in the call for a new bridge," said Dalrymple-Philibert at last Friday’s opening ceremony. "I want all of us to recognise that our Government recognised that to simply replace a bridge quickly to appease the call and the cries of many was not the answer.""We are opening a bridge today, not just a bridge. It is a First-World, first-class bridge," she added, praising Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, Works Minister Robert Morgan and the National Works Agency for completing the $230 million project within budget.The original bridge collapsed during the passage of Tropical Storm Grace in August 2021, disrupting movement for students, teachers, farmers and residents across communities along the Trelawny-Manchester border. Phillips repeatedly raised concerns in Parliament and the media about the delay, and the issue became a closely watched infrastructure dispute, occasionally spilling into public exchanges. Both MPs, however, consistently advocated for affected residents.At Friday’s ceremony, Dalrymple-Philibert appeared to allude to that criticism, reiterating her view that durability had taken precedence over speed.RECONNECTEDPhillips struck a more conciliatory tone, acknowledging that, despite political differences, both representatives had helped keep the project in focus."The Troy Bridge is an example of how, even though we're on two different political sides, that our voices can come together," Phillips said. "That is mine and Member of Parliament Dalrymple-Philibert in making a lot louder noise and ensuring that both South Trelawny and Northwest Manchester can once more be connected.”"Even though we have had many tensions and spat, sir Prime Minister [Andrew Holness], it did not change course, and the prime minister saw the importance, and the team from the National Works Agency saw the importance of ensuring that the Troy Bridge was reconstructed," he said.Phillips also pointed to the disruption caused by the bridge’s absence. "We had students who lived on this side who went to Troy High School who had to be relocated to other schools. We had teachers who teach at Troy who live over on the Manchester side who had to relocate, leaving their residences over on that side and renting houses on this side."albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com