Dear Editor,
In recently saw a picture in the Guyana Chronicle which shows sand weighing around 1800 lbs per square foot that has been dumped by the owners of Celina Atlantic over the existing sea defences below, to continue their illegal expansion of the resort. The level of the sand is up to the concrete coping level.
The sea defence which I designed and built in the 1960s has now been compromised by this heavy load of sand, which should be removed immediately along with existing buildings illegally built. The sea defences below have to be examined by a competent sea defence engineer for any damage, and repairs carried out by the Sea Defence Board and paid for by the resort owners.
The sea defences were not designed for this heavy vertical loading, only for wave action and wave rush up.
The owners of the resort stated they bought the sea defences from the city council. If this is so the city council has no such authority. In accordance with the Sea Defence Act, this expansion is illegal and the sea defences and buildings have to be removed and disposed of, off site.
Yours faithfully,
Malcolm Alli
Former Specialist Engineer Sea
Defences and CHO Hydraulics
Division
