The shoreline of the Kitty seawall is once again reeking due to deposits of seaweed.
The seaweed, known as sargassum, has washed up along the shoreline near the Russian Embassy turn, and has been emitting a foul smell for weeks as it decomposes.
Jermaine Braithwaite, Project Manager attached to the Public Infrastructure Ministry’s Sea and River Defence Department, told Stabroek News in a telephone interview that the department is aware of the situation and is currently monitoring it.
However, he explained that the Mahaicony sea defences, which are eroding, are the immediate priority of the department.
However, he said efforts have been made to reach out to partner agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to gain further insight to the extent of the impact of the deposits and what can be done immediately as well as in the long term to address the situation.
He stressed that the current level of government collaboration is curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Braithwaite noted that the presence of the seaweed is a recurring issue and he made mention of deposits along the Essequibo coast.
In that case, he said minimal intervention was required since the situation was not severely alarming and the disappearance of the seaweed was due a reversal of cycle. Similar issues also occurred in previous years along the seawall.
To the question of what can be done about the odour, he stated that if the need arises, a solution is to have the sargassum physically removed and buried along the foreshore.
However, he emphasised that if the need arises for mechanical removal or near shore barriers, those measures will be put in place.
The seaweed deposits have been a major problem all across the Caribbean.
