MINISTER of Public Works, Robeson Benn on Friday last stated that there is a need for greater empathy amongst the general public to recognise the importance of local sea and river systems. 

Minister Benn in an interview on the National Communications Network (NCN) ‘Political Scope’ Programme, stated that the issue of garbage disposal is one that needs to be addressed as it has serious ramifications, in addition to the now routine clogging of drains, canals and outfalls.
He noted that in some areas, garbage has accumulated into rafts of debris which, due to wave action, scour the banks and sea defence, wearing away and weakening them.

SQUATTERS
He also pointed out that stakeholders will have to come up with an approach to remove squatters and the attendant garbage, especially in poorer parts of the capital.
“A plan will have to be worked out and it will have to come about in a change in spirit and will, at the level of the City Council, to deal with this problem which is now intractable and which will only get worse as we go forward.”

CITY HALL NOT PERFORMING
The Minister added that the Government sooner or later may have to address these issues since City Hall is not performing as they ought to.
Government over the years has embarked on a programme to first rebuild the sea defence structures, then rehabilitate them as needed.
It was stated that miles of coastland have already been lost to the sea as evidenced by the presence of kokers. This challenge has been further compounded by the loss of mangroves along critical sections of the coastline.
Fortunately the Public Works Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry have developed a project to alleviate these flaws.

The issue of garbage disposal is one that needs to be addressed as it has serious ramifications, in addition to the now routine clogging of drains, canals and outfalls. In some areas, garbage has accumulated into rafts of debris which, due to wave action, scour the banks and sea defence, wearing away and weakening them. – Minister Benn

SECURED COASTLINE
The last two decades of work undertaken by Government has resulted in the coastline being secured, Minister Benn said.
According to the Minister, the impact of global warming is being felt and this has necessitated a move towards the construction of higher sea defences. He stated that these are between half a meter to one meter higher in many places to offset rising sea levels.
Additionally, the flooding along the coastal belt is often as a result of overtopping or heavy rainfall and not breaches in sea defences.
DRAINAGE CAPACITY
He explained that once rainfall exceeds the drainage system’s capacity, flooding will occur. This he indicated is between 35 to 40 mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period, and once this is surpassed, flooding would result.
The filling in of several main drainage canals in Georgetown has further reduced drainage capacity and there is now a greater reliability on pumps, to influence faster drainage.
The Minister noted that Guyana has been and continues to be assisted in its sea and river defence efforts by the European Union (EU) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
He disclosed that the 9th EU Development Fund has resulted in the spending of 18 million Euros to boost local sea defences.

10th PHASE OF FUND
The 10th phase of the fund will see the expenditure of 14 million Euros within the sector. Benn disclosed that the financial agencies are now funding the programmes and projects by allocating monies to Government directly, rather than “stand alone”, to manage and execute these works in a transparent and fair manner.
The CDB’s US$24M loan and contracts being worked out at present will encompass the Sea Defence Resilience Project.
Furthermore, all these interventions are part of efforts to ensure that Guyana continues to be an export driven economy, particularly for agricultural products such as rice and sugar, Minister Benn said.

SEA DEFENCE OVERSEAS
He disclosed that lessons are being garnered by local engineers by visiting overseas locales such as Louisiana and the Mississippi Delta in the United States, Holland’s sea defences and even further afield to Bangladesh.
Some 6 mm of annual sea level rise is being catered for by the ministry, with respect to sea defence works, he added, and if building is done continuously at those levels they will reduce costs per linear meter for the infrastructure put in place.
Minister Benn also observed that local engineers are more confident and capable in their abilities, and will be doing “greater things with respect to this area, out of our own efforts, not necessarily by importing efforts.”

(By Navendra Seoraj)