— DG says gov’t mulls moving public facilities from the coast

By Navendra Seoraj
THE construction and maintenance of sea defences have been a major “sap” on the resources of the country, especially when it comes to budgetary allocations, said Director-General (DG) of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon.

The director-general’s comment followed an announcement by Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, that $14 billion is needed to conduct emergency work on 32.9 kilometres of sea defence, over the next three years.

“Budget-wise, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is given $2 Billion per annum for sea defence work. So, you can see the size of the challenge that we face,” said Patterson at University of Guyana’s Turkeyen & Tain Talks hosted at the Pegasus Hotel Guyana.
Speaking on the $2 billion allocation, Harmon said the money is disbursed in two phases, based on the sum required.

“Sea defence is a major sap on the resources of the country, especially on the budgetary allocations,” said Harmon during a post-cabinet press briefing, on Thursday.
He said the major challenge now, is to take care of the sea defence but there have also been discussions about moving some structures, particularly public facilities, from the coast.

“We cannot get away from climate change and escape the fact that there is a rise in sea levels… every time there is a high tide, you can see water meters above the wall… so unless we keep building the wall higher, there must be consideration as to what we are going to do going forward,” said Harmon.

In some areas, there is nothing more than mangroves and earthen dams that separate the coast from the Atlantic Ocean. In consideration of this, Harmon said, after March, the government intends on focusing on those deficiencies and dealing with the issues along the coast.

He said Guyana, as a low-lying coastal state, has to make one of its priorities relocating people to higher ground.

In October, Junior Public Infrastructure Minister, Jaipaul Sharma said consideration should be given to moving the population to higher ground and the building of a modern city in light of global warming.

Sharma shared the view following recent overtopping of the river defence that led to severe flooding in Leguan Island, Wakenaam Island, Parika Stelling, Uitvlugt, Anna Catherina, Den Amstel, Fellowship, Cornelia Ida and Blankenburg.

“Again, I will say that this is the effects of global warming and higher global temperatures that melt glaciers adding to the amount of sea water that cause global sea level rise. We should seriously consider moving the population to higher ground and start building a modern city.

“It should be noted that degradation of the natural sea defence system, along a 2.6 km stretch of shoreline between Fairfield and Dantzig, has occurred over the last seven months,” said the minister.

The erosion and accretion cycle characteristic of the Guyana coast and the progressive movement of mud and silt from the Mahaicony foreshore have resulted in the rapid depletion of the mangrove fringe, which has left the earthen embankment in several sections completely exposed to direct wave action.

According to Sharma, the area was for many years protected by a natural flood protection system, and has become necessary for a resilient man-made sea defence to be constructed.

He said the heavy rain in July and August and the unusually turbulent waters caused by storms in the Atlantic and Caribbean Sea continue to have adverse impacts on the progress of works being done.

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure has constructed a 90-foot-long heavy-duty timber bridge at Dantzig across the Bellamy Canal since the only other access bridge across the Bellamy Canal is approximately three kilometres away at Fairfield.

“I would like to reassure residents and farmers of the Mahaicony area that continuous efforts are being made by the APNU+AFC government to monitor the sea defences, and interventions are being arranged to expeditiously reinforce the entire 3km to prevent further flooding in the future,” said Sharma.