Temporary fix to Mahaicony sea defence breached again

Less than two weeks after a temporary fix was put in place to ease flooding, a section of the Mahaicony sea defence along Prospect Estate has once again been breached owing to the high tides and the continuous rainfall experienced over the past weekend.

Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Jaipaul Sharma had only recently revealed that action was being undertaken to prevent another breach at the said location and others, albeit somewhat unsuccessfully.
However in light of this, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson was quoted as stating that the Ministry has already applied for emergency funding to have rehabilitative works done on the sea defence, while others were still under threat.
Some 5000 tonnes of boulders were recently positioned along the areas of Dantzig, East Coast Demerara (ECD), to Broomhall, which were expected to serve as a temporary sea defence structure, as other weakened sections along the embankment were being strengthened.

The breached defence had also been a result of corrective works being affected by the heavy downpours, as explained by Sea and River Defence Officer within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Kevin Samad. According to him, this can only be addressed after the rainy season ends.
The first breach which occurred on July 6, at Dantzig, has affected over 120 farmers within the Region, after acres of rice belonging to them were destroyed by the floodwaters.
Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) Chairman Vickchand Ramphal had expressed concern only recently on this issue that has been in existence for years. He said not only were the high tides eroding away the boulders acting as sea defence, but they have been uprooting the mangroves.
As such, the lack of a permanent sea defence leaves both farming and residential areas between the Mahaica and Abary Rivers under threat.