Works have still not commenced on the sea defence located at Content, Mahai-cony which continues to deteriorate at a rapid pace. Residents in the area are continuing their plea for help before things get worse.
In a visit yesterday to the disintegrating sea defence during the afternoon high tide, Stabroek News observed the waters easily overtopping the weak defence which is in obvious need of urgent rehabilitation.
Speaking with residents of the area, Stabroek News understands that cries for help have been ringing out from members of the community, as they continue to lose crops and cattle because of flooding. “We done lost three crop of rice. This gon be the fourth crop of rice that we gon lose hay now. We fed up talk about it and we done see this thing gon go on and on, and then when it break away and the place start flood more, then we gon see people coming to try fix it,” one resident lamented.
Another resident, whose name was only given as Narine, explained that the breach had begun to widen since April of 2019. He noted that many attempts were made by residents of the area to obtain assistance from the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) to repair the damaged sea defence, but their calls were to no avail. “The Regional Chairman for Region Five was made known of it since the flooding started. When we went back to the RDC, the Chairman seh we lie, and it just ah top over the sea dam,” he said, while explaining the hardships meted out to residents of the community in their call for help. “When the thing escalate now, the regional chairman all of a sudden nah got nothing fah say,” he went on to say. Narine further explained that the people’s livelihoods are now endangered because of inattentive ears of the relevant authorities. He explained that persons who rear cattle and poultry, as well as those who are planting rice in order to make ends meet, are suffering and will continue to suffer if something is not done immediately.
A spring tide is expected today with the wave height expected to be 2.95 metres.
The mangrove fringe and other natural sea defences that were in place have been washed away leaving just a narrow dam, which is now exposed and rapidly eroding. At daily high tides, the murky waters of the Atlantic Ocean could be seen spilling over the earthen dam.
Workers from BK Inter-national, one of the contracted companies hired to execute emergency works on the breaches between Dantzig and Fairfield had diverted some materials towards the site where a new breach could possibly occur. It was noted that despite this action, the current stretch still remains extremely vulnerable and in urgent need of immediate works to repair the sea defence.
Troy Krishna, the engineer on site and the person in charge of the rehabilitation of the sea defences, had told Stabroek News that his company cannot carry out any further works beyond what is stated in their contract. He explained that a new contract will have to be awarded by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to cover the stretch that is eroding.
During an engagement at the University of Guyana’s 21st installment of its Turkeyen and Tain talks themed “Green Building for Resilient Future Cities” held in November last, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson had announced that approximately $14 billion was needed between 2020 and 2022 to effect “urgent” repairs to 32.9 kilometers of Guyana’s sea defence.
He had explained that if the government fails to execute these works, communities across the coast will suffer a fate similar to that of Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara.
Patterson had on Monday relayed his intention to convene an “emergency meeting” with a team of engineers to discuss the way forward. As of press time, no updates have been given.
In an attempt to clarify the emergency relief measures to be put in place by the ministry, Public Rela-tions Officer Krest Cummings assured this newspaper that information will be given as early as today.
