Work on Mahaica sea defence to commence immediately amid threats from sea, high tide

Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill, having inspected the sea defence structure at Essex and Concord in Mahaica, and along the shoreline all the way to Fairfield Village, East Coast Demerara, on Saturday announced that measures would immediate be put in place to guard against the occurrence of any flooding in those communities.

Accompanied by the Sea and River Defence Manager Kevin Samad, Project Manager (Sea and River Defence) Jermaine Braithwaite, and Chair of the Sea and River Defence Board Brigadier Gary Beaton, Minister Edghill said works in these areas would continue, since the ocean is posing some threats there, especially with increasing high tides.
“My Engineering and the Sea and River Defence Board have brought to my attention occurrences that are taking place, and the need for interventions. They have been able to show me drone images, and explained to me all the technical terms of what is taking place. We decided to come out and see for ourselves, because we have to make the necessary policy intervention to ensure we’re not playing catchup or responding to an emergency after the fact,” the Minister has explained.

He said climate change has played a major part in creation of these present conditions, but Government will continue to put measures in place to ensure citizens living in communities in close proximity to the sea are not severely impacted by these environmental changes.
“What is happening here is that, with the movement of mud, climate change, weather patterns and everything else, we are losing a significant amount of mangroves in this section. Once the mangroves are removed, the dam becomes compromised. Once this dam is breached, the water (goes) all the way in (and everybody is affected), whether farmlands, poultry farmers or households,” he clarified.
The team has been examining the progression of such impacts over the course of months, and the rate at which deterioration is occurring. Engineers have estimated that intervention would have to be made within a couple of months, the Minister added.
“If we continue this way, in another 10 spring tides we could be in shambles,” he remarked.
Project Manager Jermaine Braithwaite pointed out that completing the construction of sea defence in a timely manner has been a challenge over the years, since there are several critical areas along the coast.
“With the resources that the Ministry has allocated, we have to target those areas. What we want to continue doing here, and what the Sea Defence Department has been doing over the past two years, is to implement ahead of the rate of depletion of the mangrove…,” Braithwaite explained. “We are in discussion, and we have brought to the attention of the Minister the financial needs and what procurement needs to be undertaken urgently,” Braithwaite examined.
This week, the Hydrometeorological Service of the Agriculture Ministry has forecasted wetter-than-usual rainfall conditions across all regions of Guyana for the months of January 2022 to November 2023, otherwise known as Guyana’s secondary rainfall season.
A notice from the Hydromet Office predicted that, during the upcoming rainy season, water levels in conservancies, reservoirs, and inland rivers across Regions One to Eight and 10 are likely to be increased, and there is a high risk of flooding. On the other hand, Region Nine would continue to be dry, but can expect more than the usual amount of rainy days.
The continued maintenance of drainage infrastructure is essential as the country progresses towards the wet season, it was been noted. Farmers are being urged to take all the necessary precautions to secure crops and livestock in advance of significant rainfall events.