– Minister Sharma says Guyana experiencing effects of global warming

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,” the minister observed in a statement to the media.

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.

Just recently, two of the contractor’s tug boats pulling the barge transporting boulders to Mahaicony were sunk by the turbulent waters.

In addition, since the access dams were in a deplorable state and the shortest access dam is over two kilometres long, manoeuvering with lorries and earth-moving equipment are restricted, due to the continued inclement weather.

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.
To date, the minister said, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure had engaged the Ministry of Finance, and a $460M contingency allocation was approved in August and a further G$1.2B to undertake emergency works to secure vulnerable three km stretch that is presently critical at this time.

“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.

“The ministry provides its assurance that the Sea and River Defence Department will continue to actively pursue the required measures to mitigate the impacts on flooding on coastal communities. Residents of low-lying coastal communities are advised to take the needed precautions during the remainder of the spring tide period,” the minister said.