WE are going down that road again with the PNCR rehashing its ill-informed statements of doom about the Hope Canal and how costly it would be to the residents who have to be relocated. Correct me if I am wrong, but, wasn’t the construction of the canal approved by the engineers, hydrologists and other technical persons who were involved in conducting the feasibility study for this project?
Haven’t we passed the stage of whether or not constructing the canal is feasible? I think too that the scientific evidence suggests that it can be done to the benefit of Guyana
Everyone is aware of climate change and the havoc it can cause if definitive steps are not taken to minimize its impact.
Flooding has become frequent during the rainy season and has caused severe damages to our country’s economy especially during 2005. This, as expected caused government to make a determined effort to protect our country’s resources hence the decision to construct the Hope Canal to prevent flooding in Georgetown and on the East Coast of Demerara.
This should be a welcome intervention among residents of those areas who otherwise would be forced to vacate their homes and secure their possessions whenever it rains heavily. Not only would these people suffer but the entire population would suffer since most of the country’s agriculture resources are grown on the coast.
Why is it that the PNC is so opposed to this project? Is it because a canal of this magnitude was never undertaken before? As Guyanese we should be proud of our great achievements of which the Hope Canal will be one.
As for the inconvenience of having to relocate, I am certain those people are not averse to change especially when it means they would have less worry about flooding and the cycle of vacating and reoccupying their homes during the rainy season.
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud has dealt with this issue so I don’t understand why the PNCR keeps harping about it. The residents are also being compensated just as was done for those who had to relocate to accommodate the construction of the Berbice Bridge. It is unrealistic for the PNCR to expect that everyone will be compensated at the same time in this process.
While reading some of the statements from the PNCR, I cannot help but think that it is the same attitude and aversion to change that has caused Guyana to be stagnated throughout the period of that party’s leadership.
The same mind set continues today within that party where they cannot accept that Guyana is moving forward and developing, with or without their support.