Saying that measures are being put in place to protect residents against flooding, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill yesterday defended the removal of mangroves at Versailles-Malgre Tout, West Bank Demerara, for the development of an oil and gas shore base as necessary while emphasising that “with development comes changes”.
“…The development that is taking place in Guyana is not willy-nilly. This is well-planned. Structured. Structured in a context to bring about real world-class development of Guyana…..And that is not something to be sabotaged. That is something to be encouraged,” Edghill said yesterday during a press conference held in the boardroom of his Wights Lane, Kingston, Georgetown office to address the removal of mangroves by TriStar Incorporated
With Guyana now an oil producing country, Edghill added that there are infrastructural developments that are required to facilitate and properly service what is taking place in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone. In particular, he said that the development on the West Demerara to facilitate the “new wave of development coming to Guyana” would require the removal of mangroves. “At some stage, mangroves will be displaced,” he said, “Mangroves will have to be removed.”
“…The big issue is not flooding because the adequacy of the measures, the hard structures to prevent flooding, are in place. So the big issue is if we should cut mangroves or don’t cut mangroves,” Edghill said. “Well let me make it pellucid: the entire eastern section of the Demerara River comprises of several structures – stellings, wharfs, shore base development. There was a time when all out there were mangroves. The people of West Demerara deserve the same,” he said.
TriStar Incorporated’s Krishna ‘Kris’ Persaud, a naturalised United States citizen who was born in Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands), is behind the development of the $100 million shore base and wharf on property which he bought from a private owner.
Following concerns by residents that they have been put at risk of flooding due to the clearance of the natural sea defence, Stabroek News reported last week that during preparation for the project, a large swathe of mangroves were destroyed and it was unclear what mitigation measures would be put in place.
Chairman of Guyana’s Sea Defence Board Gary Beaton on Thursday last told this newspaper that the company had cleared a large amount of mangroves, which it was not permitted to do, and has so far failed to make provisions to rebuild a river defence.
“They are in breach of the guidelines we offered with our no-objection. They have destroyed the sea defence without building one area, and they were expected to provide a work plan and schedule but that was not done,” Beaton said when asked about the breaches committed by the developer.
‘Facilitating’
The project, Edghill said, will provide a minimum of 150 jobs at both the construction and operational stages.
“It is fully owned by a Guyanese and moreso a Guyanese from West Demerara, Region Three. This is a Guyanese who has done well overseas… who came home and has applied for the necessary permits to help with Guyanese infrastructural development and at the same time providing adequacy for the oil and gas sector and is part of the job creation mechanism,” Edghill noted.
Giving the background to the approval process for the project, Edghill explained that the Sea and River Defence Board – comprising every major permitting agency in Guyana, including the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA), the Maritime Administration (MARAD), the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – offered its no objection after considering TriStar’s application
“Mr Persaud subsequently, after that no objection, applied and got access to additional portions of land by way of number one, a lease and secondly, a licence. A plot that was leased and a plot that was licensed,” he further noted, adding that Persaud subsequently notified the Sea and River Defence Board about the acquisition of the additional properties and sought the way forward as it relates to how to incorporate this in his overall development project.
In the interim, Edghill said, Persaud provided documentation, drawings, engineering designs and all the relevant documents needs on how the development will take place and what measures will be in place for flood prevention.
“The PPP/C in its approach towards the development of the country has said repeatedly: we will not be obstructionists; we will be facilitating and we have facilitated and will continue to facilitate developmental projects once it comes in a framework where it is properly regulated, sustainable, where there is no danger to life and livelihood, and where we can see the creation of jobs and this project fits within that framework,” Edghill stated.
‘Adequate protection’
In response to the flooding concerns, Edghill told the media that sheet piles will be installed to protect the property and all others surrounding it from flooding. However, he could not provide a specific time period in which this is expected to be completed.
During the press conference, he also shared a map demarcating the project site and where the seas defence structures will be built.
“The removal of mangroves here don’t put the West Demerara or the local authority area at risk for flooding because there is adequate protection,” Edghill said.
As a matter of fact, he said the ministry is aware that the developer currently has in place 70 container loads of sheet piles to put in place the necessary flood mitigating structures.
Further, Edghill said he has since spoken to officials from the Sea and River Defence Board along with the Chief Sea and River Defence Officer on their concerns about the issue.
“They have all said to me the adequacy of flood protection and there is a commitment from us as ministers and a commitment from the board that any development at any shore base, the adequacy of flood protection is a key factor that will be addressed at all times and if during the construction phase something happens, well then the developer will have to take the risk and take the responsibility for compensating,” he stated.
Also present at the press conference was Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar, who explained that when the Sea and River Defence Board gives a no objection, a number of factors are considered for continuous flood management during the project cycle.
Indar also said that the shore base is just one of the many that are expected to be developed. “…The amount of applications that we have and interest that we have, there will be more shore bases to be developed on the other side of the river. So you have to expect more. But the displacement of the mangroves comes with the mitigated strategy of putting steel sheet piles to ensure there is no flooding or break away,” he said.
Both Edghill and Indar assured the residents that mitigation measures are already being put in place to protect against flooding.
Additionally, Edghill invited Leader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon, environmentalists and other individuals who are concerned about the environment to partner with the ministry for the country’s development. “Don’t let us be prophets of doom,” he said.
