Work on the crumbling Mosquito Hall/Lancaster, Mahaica sea defence was scheduled to be completed last evening.
In a press release issued yesterday, the Ministry of Public Works said the work was 80 per cent completed and staff were expected to seal the remaining section by late afternoon.
M&B Construction which was hired to repair the section of earthen embankment and slope has started stockpiling materials (rocks and clay) to begin capping the undermined area. These works are expected to be completed within another two weeks. The ministry also noted that there were no reports of flooding at the Mosquito Hall/Lancaster area during the recent spring tide.
As was reported previously, two major contracts for the rehabilitation of concrete river defences at Mosquito Hall/Lancaster were executed during the period 2011 to 2012 to address sections of sea defences which were damaged and caused frequent overtopping during the spring tides.
In addition to concrete works, a total of 700m of eroded earthen embankment was repaired and adjacent façade drains constructed for the storage and conveyance of overtopping discharge in order to reinforce the flood defence system. The ministry has said that major reconstruction works have also been scheduled for the area under its 2014 Capital Programme for certain critical sections.
“Designs are currently being finalised for projects involving the reconstruction of river defences in the area which will be advertised for public tendering during January 2014,” the ministry said.
In addition, the Mahaica area was recently included in a list of vulnerable coastal/ riverine communities mentioned in the ministry’s monthly spring tide advisory published in the local print media.
