THE Bosai Mineral Group Guyana (BMGG) earlier this week commissioned a brand new dredge at the Bosai Wharf in Linden, Region 10.

The water dredge will very soon undergo its first test dredging and aims at dredging the turning areas close to the docks and other parts of the Upper Demerara River. This will allow for easy navigation of vessels coming to the port.

According to the company, the dredge was sent in parts and was assembled by a technical team from China.

The dredge was described as very unique and modern and is said to be a very powerful equipment.

This water dredge has been commissioned at a time when several sections of the Upper Demerara River have become unnavigable as a result of growing sand banks. The management of Bosai was urged by regional officials in the past to dredge the river since it was done previously by other bauxite companies.

Regional Councillor Charles Sampson had bemoaned the situation, describing the Upper Demerara River as continuously becoming shallow and narrower.

Sampson had claimed that small boats are stuck at the basin of the river close to the bridge compared to years ago when the same basin was used as a turning point for huge ships coming to uplift bauxite from the aluminium plant.

With the current state of the river, even the smaller ships cannot turn since the turning point has become very narrow.

The community of Comacka has been extremely affected by growing sand banks which have made the river unnavigable.

The process of dredging involves the removal of sediments and debris from the bottom of lakes, rivers, harbours and other water bodies. It is a routine necessity in waterways because sedimentation—the natural process of sand and silt washing downstream—gradually fills channels and harbours.