Keith Sirju, a structural engineer, is to chair a committee investigating the collapse of the Bailey bridge over the Caroni River on Saturday.

His appointment was confirmed in a release from the Prime Minister’s office this evening.

Sirju holds a Master’s Degree in Structures from the University of London.

Also on the investigative team will be Dawood Pandor who is also a structural engineer and Secretary Rossini Castro…Head of the Programme Implementation Unit of the

Highways Division of the Ministry of Works and Transport.

The Forensic investigation which is expected to be completed in a month is mandated to examine procedures in the bridge’s dismantlement, compliance with established standards and practices and to conduct structural tests and analyses.

Prime Minister Patrick Manning has directed that until the report of the Forensic Investigation Team is delivered… no further dismantling work shall be undertaken on bridges of the same length and span.

Alexander