…as will obscure Lighthouse
If and when it is built, the new hotel in Kingston, George-town will have a unique feature, a beacon on its highest point, as it will obscure the present one on the nearby historic Lighthouse which currently serves to guide incoming vessels.
The draft environmental social impact assessment (ESIA) report on the proposed construction has recommended that developers Adam Development/Urbahn Associ-ates (ADUA) work with Guyana’s Maritime Adminis-tration Department (MA-RAD) on this. It has also suggested that the new beacon should have a wider range, greater visibility and be low maintenance.
The ESIA, which is now available for public review, once approved will allow for an environmental permit to facilitate the construction of the US$52 million international hotel. Among the recommendations in the report is that the developers should agree to a memorandum of understanding with the Sea and River Defence Division (SRDD) regarding access, and maintenance and management of the Sea Defence System bordering the project site.
Environmental Manage-ment Consultants (EMC), which conducted the ESIA, has submitted a 252-page report to the Environ-mental Protection Agency (EPA). A notice has since appeared in the Guyana Chronicle on September 20, inviting members of the public to review the report and make such written submissions to the EPA, as they consider appropriate within 60 days. According to the EPA, the ESIA for ‘the Georgetown Marriott – hotel, casino and entertainment complex, is available on its website www.epaguyana.org or it could be obtained on request at a reasonable cost for photocopying at the EPA, Broad and Charles streets, Charlestown.
When the ESIA was conducted, the project site had been cleared of derelict buildings and vegetation, but no construction work had commenced. ADUA, the executive summary of the report said, had applied to a number of agencies as part of the planning permitting process, but so far, only the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had given it the green light. The Central Housing and Planning Authority, Sea and River Defence Board, Mayor and City Council of Georgetown, and the EPA were still to give their no-objections.
According to the principal findings of the ESIA, the proposed project will have both negative and positive direct and indirect impacts on the socio-economic environment of Kingston, Greater Georgetown and the nation as a whole.
Limited impacts
Most of the negative impacts are limited to the construction phase of the project. Direct adverse effects on the physical, biological and social environment would be manageable, the report said, with the implementation of mitigation measures. The majority of impacts, including direct impacts on the ecology due to loss of vegetation and habitats for fauna are also regarded as of low significance.
Drainage was recognised as an issue, but the report said ADUA has proposed a drainage network system that will assist in storm water discharge and adequate drainage of the project site.
Measures will be implemented to address solid waste by engaging a private contracted service for collection and disposal in addition to on-site best practices for collection and recycling. Sewage will be discharged into the existing Georgetown sewer system with contingency measures on-site to cater to emergencies.
The report said the positive impacts centre on the ability of the project to boost Guyana’s tourism sector and employment opportunities created during the construction and operational phases. The benefits resulting from the project will depend on ADUA’s ability to integrate within the local tourism and services sectors.
The report said that there is a sufficient level of confidence in the ESIA analysis and findings to enable a decision to be taken based on existing information and that the implementation of the project will not produce any significant negative environmental or social impacts in either the construction or operational phases. Potential negative impacts are all low magnitude of low environmental or socio-economic significance. These negative impacts can be further minimized by applying the recommended mitigation measures where appropriate.
The project, when implemented, will have a significant positive impact on the socio-economic environment primarily through the creation of a significant number of job opportunities for a wide range of skilled and unskilled workers. The economy will also benefit from increased demand for goods and services during both the construction and operational phases of the project.
The project will have a net positive impact on the larger economy of Guyana by adding to the hospitality and entertainment product of Georgetown, and creating significant job and economic opportunities, the report said, adding that the project is therefore considered to be environmentally acceptable, provided all mitigation measures are implemented in advance of other additional project related activities.
Erosion
To deal with the issue of erosion, the consultants recommended that during the construction phase, the developers temporarily bund exposed soil and redirect flows from heavy runoff areas that threaten to erode; monitor areas of exposed soil during periods of heavy rainfall; and cover large material stockpiles during periods of heavy rainfall.
They recommended that vegetation removal on the shore zone be limited to certain species. Landscaping of the project site should be done to restore vegetative cover to unpaved areas and native flowering plants should be used to provide habitat and host plants for some species. A
landscape maintenance programme should be established and implemented; and vegetation selected should be based on suitability, habitat, flowering plants and shrubs, the report said.
To recover the loss of fauna, they recommend that the landscaping component should include species of trees that will attract avian species; and species chosen to re-vegetate the site should serve both a landscape function and a habitat function without compromising either.
To deal with cumulative impacts and sea level rise, they recommend that ADUA should work closely with agencies responsible for coastal zone monitoring and management, sea level rise, and sea defence.
Pile driving
The report recommended that before the commencement of pile driving, ADUA should do a structural assessment of buildings including heritage sites within the immediate vicinity of the project site. This would include the lighthouse. A detailed inventory should also be taken of the immediate neighbouring structures to allow ADUA to address any complaints of structural damage and a vibration-monitoring programme should be established. The report also said that local residents and businesses should be given notice of the scheduling of pile driving to prepare for the increased levels of noise and vibration, in an effort to mitigate some increased noise levels, and acoustic barriers may be added to the pile-driving equipment.
As regard dust during construction, EMC suggested that access roads and exposed ground be regularly soaked and stockpiles of fine materials, such as loam, should be soaked or covered with tarpaulin during windy conditions. Workers on the site should be issued with dust masks and where possible a wall structure, probably of plyboard, can be placed behind stockpiles of sand, earth and gravel to act as receptor for larger dust particles. As much as possible, the builders should maximize activities during periods when offices and neighbouring properties have reduced occupancy, like on weekends, and before and after working hours.
Noise
ADUA was also advised to construct noise barriers, such as temporary walls or piles of excavated material, between noisy activities and noise-sensitive receivers. The consultants said site equipment on the construction lot should be far away from noise-sensitive sites and the contractors should construct walled enclosures around especially noisy activities.
Roads
EMC recommended too that ADUA, along with stakeholders, should approach the government to rehabilitate and improve Battery Road given the high density and volume of vehicles expected to traverse this road. It suggested extensive compacting to ensure the safety of the submerged water mains and rerouted sewer lines.
The consultants suggested too that ADUA provide the Ministry of Public Works and Communication (MPW&C) with its construction schedule and any required road closure should be requested at least 10 days in advance in order to provide the public with advance information. Road closure and detour signs and routes should be fully sign-posted throughout to ensure the traffic follows the correct route. Meanwhile, an assessment of the routing of major equipment and material transfer from the Kingston wharf should be done in advance, to identify any constraints. For employment during the construction phase, EMC recommended that ADUA work with local contractors, conduct on-the-job training; and exposure to new technologies and construction approaches should be implemented.
EMC also suggested that the government should consider establishing a sewage treatment facility for the Georgetown sewerage network. It recommended underground drainage systems to convey site runoff in enclosed, below-grade storm sewers; runoff should be collected at storm drain inlets and can be released into the main installation or main sewerage system or at a surface outlet. However, runoff conveyed in sewer pipes must be released at a surface outlet and the velocity of the runoff should be reduced to non-erosive levels. The area around the outlet should be properly graded and stabilized to lessen erosion.
Traffic
In relation to traffic congestion and parking, the report recommended that before construction starts, ADUA should consult with the relevant agencies, including the Guyana Police Force, Central Planning and Transportation Unit (CPTU) and Traffic Safety Unit (TSU) of the Works Services Group to present its traffic flow arrangement for this phase of the project. Lighting should be installed for roads immediate to the project area as well as the appropriate signs, both warning and guidance; and ADUA should construct a right turning lane for traffic going into the complex. The turning lane should have a holding capacity for five passenger cars.
Noting that the objective of the project is to support to the local tourism sector and economy, the report said that efforts should be made by institutions such as the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana and Guyana Tourism Authority to facilitate linkages between the project and reputable local service providers. Providers who offer unique services and experiences, which are not provided within the proposed project, should seek to have their products showcased and the architectural heritage of the Kingston community can be showcased to travelers staying at the facility.
They also suggested that ADUA encourage wider participation from the local hospitality sector; and on-the-job training should be done to enhance the capacity of locals to fill managerial positions.
According to the study, the general recommendations are for ADUA to incorporate the findings and recommendations of the ESIA into the detailed planning for the project and its implementation; release and present the draft ESIA to stakeholders for comments. It should also commit to effectively implement the mitigation measures listed; develop an environmental policy and demonstrate an ongoing commitment to minimize environmental damage, at all stages of the project and treat the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMMP) as a living document that is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that management measures are effective and practicable.
The project site covers 6.27 acres comprising tracts “L”, “M”, “N”, “0”, and Sub-lot “A” and the road reserves, located at the north west area of Kingston contiguous to the Atlantic Ocean and the Demerara River in Kingston. The site has access to 2.23 acres of beachfront property, looking out to the Atlantic Ocean as the property ends on the shoreline, the Demerara River as part of the property borders it and downtown Georgetown.
The EMC has recommended that the seawall and beach area must remain accessible for public utilization but in keeping with the permission granted by the government. ADUA, however, should have responsibility for cleaning, maintaining and security of the beachfront, while the SRDD should have access to the seawall and beach area for routine inspection and for emergency and maintenance works as may be required.
The facility will consist of a world-class hotel, casino, nightclub, and restaurants, as well as a conference centre that can be used for medium size banquets and social functions. The total building area of the hotel, casino and entertainment complex, which will be a housed in a single ten-storey building, is approximately 185,000 square feet. The hotel portion of the complex would be approximately 135,000 square feet and consist of 160 rooms, while the casino and entertainment sections would comprise approximately 50,000 square feet and be located on three levels. The ESIA said that the entire complex will be operated by Marriott International, though Marriott has told this newspaper that it has not taken a decision as yet regarding the project.
Construction is scheduled to commence this year and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2010. (Miranda La Rose)