Dear Editor,
Reference is made to Honourable Member of Parliament, Amanza Walton-Desir’s missive on Guyana’s need for Marine Spatial Planning. The “information” expounded on by Ms. Desir, is too much guesswork to be taken seriously. Ms. Desir is obviously not adept with the current state of the maritime sector, or international affairs for which she has responsibility for opposition constituents. Nevertheless, I digress and will use this opportunity to inform Ms. Desir and the people of Guyana on the Government’s interventions made on the Maritime seascape since assuming office in 2020 and its plans for the sector.
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) as referenced by Ms. Desir, is a practical way to create and establish a more rational organization of the use of marine space and the interactions between its uses, to balance demands for development with the need to protect marine ecosystems, and to achieve social and economic objectives in an open and planned way (UNESCO MARINE Spatial Planning – A step-by-step Approach towards Ecosystem-based). It should be noted that this is an interactive process that takes time. Ms. Desir’s missive propounds that the Government of Guyana has made no plans for the Maritime Sector. The average Guyanese knows this is far from the truth. Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo, in his Ministerial Statement on behalf of the Government of Guyana in the introduction of Guyana’s Maritime Economy Plans, reiterated the Government’s commitment to managing this space in a sustainable and responsible manner for the benefit of all the people of Guyana, and humanity, generally (Maritime Eco-nomy Plan, Guyana: Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme; March 2022).
The Vice President also alluded to the fact that shipping is the most economical mode of transportation, and intimated the government’s continued effort to create and implement a National Maritime Strategy aligned with the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and Guyana’s overall development objectives. To further dispel Ms. Desir’s uncertainty about the Commonwealth Marine Economy Plan, the Government of Guyana has been constantly organizing and executing various elements of this Plan. MARAD is in constant contact with the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), who has been lending support to our Hydrographic Surveyors. In fact, although sensitization of this project commenced in 2017 and training for the use of multi-beam echo sounder technology equipment was conducted in 2019, little work was done in the updating of Hydrographic information. Since 2020, the Government of Guyana has invested heavily into the updating of navigational charts to facilitate the rapid progress being made in port development.
It therefore cannot be said that issues surrounding the maritime space are not being addressed. It should be emphasised that since assuming office in August 2020, the Irfaan Ali Administration has invested substantially in the Maritime Sector. One such example of substantial investment is on port infrastructure in Guyana. While port infrastructure is mainly privately driven, the Government of Guyana has rendered tremendous support, having recognised the importance in ensuring that our ports are resilient. Further, the Government’s recognition of the demand for port facilities in Guyana and the strain placed on Port Georgetown has led to repeated declarations of its intention to develop a deep-water port in Berbice River. Concomitantly, MARAD and other regulatory agencies are currently processing several applications for the construction of port facilities. This is not an overnight process, but one that calls for thorough research and planning.
In preparation for the increase in marine traffic, $787,000,000.00 has been spent thus far to remove the three (3) wrecks at the mouth of the Demerara River. Dredging of the Main Access Channel is currently ongoing as well. The Demerara Main Ships’ Channel is not the only area being dredged. Dredging activities are currently ongoing in the Waini access channel. It is crucial to note that this area hasn’t been dredged since the early 1980s’. MARAD is also in the process of organizing dredging activities in the shallow areas up to Port Kaituma. This area will soon be cleared of debris and other obstructions that hinder safe navigation. Ancillary to its plans to enhance the maritime sector, the Central Government allocated $117M for the Construction of fifteen (15) concrete beacons marking rocks in the upper reaches of the Essequibo River. This project is still underway, but thus far eleven beacons have been built at Sail Rock; Chou – Chou; Kujarou Rock; Rattle Snake Rock; Bartica Grove Beacon; Hesper Rock; Negri Cop Island Rock; Lady Hope Rock; Arimari Island Rock ; St Edwards Mission Rock; Palmer Pt. Mariners will tell you of how useful these beacons are when navigating through the Essequibo River.
In addition to enhancing safe navigation, this project will support increased tourism with yachts and other pleasure crafts in the area. In anticipation of increased marine traffic and the need for additional Marine Officers, MARAD has since August 2020 certified and appointed nine (9) new pilots to navigate ships in the Georgetown Pilotage District. Additionally, five (5) new inspectors of shipping were appointed to inspect and certify vessels operating in Guyana. The Department is cognizant that more man power is needed in the sector to meet the exponential growth. As such, the Department is currently finalizing plans to train scores of young men and women as cadets for service as ships’ officers, pilots, inspectors, surveyors, marine communications officers, etc. To safeguard national infrastructure, MARAD’s pilots are also now required to be on all seagoing vessels transiting the retractor span of the Demerara Harbour Bridge. To accompany this influx in the demand for pilotage services, a total of $530 million was expended towards the acquisition of a new pilot boat – ML ABDULLAH. This is the first new vessel of such nature to be acquired since the early 1980s and is expected to be delivered within the first quarter of 2023. This is a remarkable achievement by the Administration, and it is a demonstration of its commitment to the development of the maritime sector in the face of the steady growth of marine traffic.
The Administration looks forward to this vessel since it can be seen as a saviour when compared to the previously acquired pilot vessel David P which was bought in April, 2018, under the APNU/AFC Administration. The David P to date has never worked to its full capacity and is a festering wound in the administration since it has been costing the Department huge sums of money to maintain. This does not seem as if proper Marine Spatial Planning was exercised in that era, when approximately one year after its purchase the APNU/AFC Government spent another $400 million dollars in spares for the said vessel. I will end as Ms. Desir started. It is no secret that the damage caused by the Motor Tanker Tradewind Passion on Saturday 8th October 2022, inconvenienced the entire country. The current administration inherited a Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) that was on the verge of collapse. Since assuming office in 2020, the government has poured billions of dollars into the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation to literally keep the bridge afloat and operational. President Ali has pledged for the speedy construction of the New Demerara River Bridge, which this Administration has commissioned. This is public knowledge. The Government of Guyana is not ignorant of the importance and intricacies of the Maritime Sector. Since its return to office, the Government has made it its duty to transform the Maritime sector to ensure that it is prepared to operate in a modern economy.
Sincerely,
Juan Edghill
Minister of Public Works