Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon has written to international agencies complaining of government’s approval of the destruction of mangroves by Tristar Inc at Versailles/Malgre Tout, West Bank Demerara.
In the letter sent to key agencies including Conservation International, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Centre for International Forestry Research, and Amazon Conservation Team, Harmon said that the area intended to be utilised by Tristar Inc is a sanctuary and breeding ground for birds and marine life and pointed out that it is the developer’s intention to establish a shore base to service the ExxonMobil off shore oil exploration and production operations.
Noting that mangroves are protected by law in Guyana, he said that the government’s approval has caused serious alarm for residents of the area who are exposed to flooding and Guyanese as a whole.
He told the agencies that it appears as if no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was conducted by the Environmen-tal Protection Agency (EPA) and that the requisite permits from the regulatory agencies such as the Guyana Forestry Commission were not obtained.
While emphasising that his party supports development, it holds the strong view that development must be done sustainably.
“It is to be recalled that in 2019 the UN Environment supported the Government of Guyana to develop the Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040, where one of the priorities was increasing resilience of Guyanese citizens by improving coastal defence through mangrove restoration,” Harmon detailed in his letter while pointing out that considerable support was offered by the European Union for a mangrove restoration project which was carried out by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), a part of Guyana’s Ministry of Agriculture.
He said that his party is concerned that the callous and cavalier attitude of the PPP/C administration towards the environment will reverse significant gains made to date.
“We are also deeply worried by the statement of Juan Edghill, Minister of Public Works, that the removal of mangroves is necessary for development. We believe that this is an indication that this Administration will continue to pursue the destruction of mangroves in the name of development,” Harmon said.
According to the letter, which was also sent to Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development, McArthur Foundation, and Boise State University, the coalition is calling for all concerned organisations with a mission to protect and preserve the environment to add their voices to the calls for the protection and preservation of our mangroves.
“The PPP/C Administration must be required to respect the environment as well as enforce the regulatory framework for its protection, without fear or favour,” he emphasised.
Since Stabroek News first reported the destruction of the important carbon sequestration flora, key agencies tasked with its protection have remained silent.
It has been two weeks since the destruction was reported by this newspaper but all of the key agencies which include the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) have chosen to remain mum on the issue.
Residents sounded the alarm over the vast destruction after recognising that they would be exposed to extreme flooding from overtopping during abnormal high tides.
Edghill has since explained that measures are in place to rebuild the sea defence and assured that residents will not be flooded.
However, critics have stated that the destruction is not only disturbing due to the lack of sea and river defence to protect against overtopping and excessive flooding, but also the fact that livelihoods and eco-systems were destroyed and cannot be replaced. Critics have pointed out too that although it is argued that the company will be putting in the necessary measures to protect the communities against flooding, the structures will not function as carbon sequestration like mangroves do.
Chairman of Guyana’s Sea Defence Board Brigadier (Ret’d) Gary Beaton had told Stabroek News last week, that the developer cleared a large amount of mangrove 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 explained when asked about the breaches committed by the developer. Beaton has since declined further comment.
Aerial images commissioned by this newspaper show a devastating picture as a vast swathe of the mangrove forest has been cleared and the developers are in the process of clearing the final stretch of the protected plants on the foreshore.
A map outlining the project area and seen by this newspaper illustrates a significant difference in what was applied for and what was cleared for the development and construction of the shore base facility. In the map, Tristar Inc had highlighted less than half of the amount of lands to be cleared at the project site, which stretches across Versailles and Malgre Tout.
However, the aerial images clearly show that more than the identified project area was cleared of vegetation.
Edghill had declared that his PPP/C government “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.”
