Dear Editor,
In a November 17, 2024 SN letter by Mr. Jamil Changlee with a follow-up missive on November 21, 2024 by Mr. Ulric O’D Trotz, the writers have expressed concern that the worldwide changing climate regime phenomenon has been causing havoc and serious flooding everywhere accompanied with many loss of lives and properties.
Mr. Changlee has suggested that the flood risks be eliminated before costly infrastructure works are undertaken because no sooner are they built that they are destroyed by flooding. Climatologists/ Meteorologists have analyze all available and relevant data relating to the weather with the objective of predicting with some certainty the scale, timing and duration of flood risks caused by rainfall, hurricanes, typhoons, etc. but with little success. Therefore, the development of infrastructure works cannot await the elimination of flood risks since living standards will be gravely compromised. Therefore, improvements to existing infrastructures based on current and anticipated weather technology will have to be made with the limited resources available to execute them. Some rich countries however, are oblivious to the fact that the weather worldwide is getting progressively worse and unless action is taken to eliminate the causes, flood risks will only intensify with greater loss and suffering.
Guyana experiences regular flooding along its coastland which is due mainly to heavy rainfall and poor operation and maintenance of its drainage infrastructures which have reduced their capacity to function efficiently and effectively. Recently, a coastal sluice door broke away from its grooves at high tide flooding the adjoining villages. The sluice operator should have seen the rotten wooden planks on the sluice door and have them replaced. Therefore the coastal drainage system will have to be upgraded and better managed to cope with anticipated higher intensity rainfall and rising ocean levels.
With respect to the sea defense, it should be recognized that ocean water levels are rising faster than expected because of the rapidly melting snow caps resulting in deeper water in the oceans which have been generating larger destructive waves and greater erosive tidal currents. Hence the seawalls and sea dams will have to be built with higher crests and stronger revetments if overtopping and flooding are to be avoided. Irrigation is the ‘life blood’ of coastal farmers. They need to get water for their crops as and when required. Some sources such as the Canji Creek cannot presently provide enough water for cultivation (sugar & rice) along the Corentyne Coast. Therefore irrigation systems have to be built to store water when it is plentiful and be available when needed. This will require the construction of dams on the rivers and lakes to store the anticipated quantity of water needed for agricultural production.
From the foregoing it seems that climate change has caught Guyana off guard and presented it with national issues which have to be addressed with the utmost urgency if the promises made to the people to improve their standard of living are to materialize.
Sincerely,
Charles Sohan
