Time to begin building on higher ground

RECENT high tides that caused intense flooding in several coastal communities is a reminder that maybe it is time to seriously consider how and where a new capital city can be designed and built on higher ground in phases over time. Once such a plan has been established, new and existing government offices can be relocated, leaving smaller ones to provide these services in Georgetown, through electronic communications.
The excuse that moving to higher ground costs money fails to recognise that the sooner we act, the better chance we have of possibly reducing an economic and human disaster, if hit with  substantially high tides.  With rising sea levels and climate change predictions, encouraging a move inland seems a prudent thing to do, starting with any planned government building projects and communities. Perhaps, the coastal areas should be more agriculture based where possible, to avoid less loss of life.
 
There is no seawall high enough to prevent tides several feet above normal or river strong enough to prevent the ocean from pushing it back upstream. This calls for starting and planning, not procrastinating or thinking. This is simply a problem that must wait until all the monies needed to build new inland communities are available. All further major buildings or communities should be encouraged to build on higher ground, identified for such purposes. If planned properly and implemented in phases, this would give Guyana modern cities to be proud of and even encourage re-migrants and others to start building there. It is time to call a good town planner. Naysayers or the visionless never build anything.

 

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