Dear Editor,
Now will the government sit up and listen after the Montrose flooding? Will they now realise that the rip rap sea defence they are bent on building is a joke? Look at the magnitude and force of the waves. How can sand and boulders, which are not even anchored, withstand such an onslaught?
Can someone with knowledge of the terrain of Guyana provide information on from which point inland the gradient of the land is higher than the seawalls, starting from Essequibo and going to Berbice. I live in Demerara. From which point would it be safe for me to build or purchase a home?
Is the land the same height as the seawall from say, Grove on the east bank? This would provide a guide to citizens on where it is safe to build.
Since the government is not inclined to go this route, I suggest we start a Citizens Advisory, that would provide information on this important crisis facing the nation via a column dedicated to the subject in the Kaieteur News and the Stabroek News on a weekly basis. If the two newspapers agree, persons can write to the newspapers, providing information they feel is pertinent. This crisis necessitates a collaborative effort.
I personally feel that it is a waste of billions of dollars, both personal and taxpayers money, to continue to build on this threatened coast land. It is absolutely necessary for us to realise that we are no longer safe here and start a gradual move rather than to wait and have to run as refugees without any belongings.
Can the major companies add a message on all their billboards advising citizens not to litter, since garbage is responsible for clogged drains and flooding? I don’t think citizens have gotten this critical message.
Yours faithfully,
Ganesh Singh
