Govt. closing critical gaps in sea defence along the WCD

DPI, Guyana, Friday, February 02, 2018.

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s Sea and River Defence Unit is undertaking major sea defence reconstruction works including upgrading and rehabilitative works in some areas along Guyana’s coastline. This is in keeping with the Ministry’s mandate of protecting citizens, given that most of Guyana’s population resides on the coast.

“In 2017, we have managed to complete approximately 2.6 kilometres of new work,” Chief Sea and River Defence Officer, Kevin Samad, told the Department of Public Information (DPI), in a recent interview.

Primary coastal protection work is being conducted on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) and some of the sea defence interventions involve the use of riprap, which is, rock or other material used to reinforce coastlines against erosion. Other revetment works along some riverain areas entail sheet pile or timber revetments which aid in the fortification of the identified areas.

According to Samad, substantial amounts of work have been done particularly in the Crane/Rumzeight area, which is considered a highly critical stretch of sea defence area along Guyana’s coast.

Over the past few years, due to severe erosion and other illegal activities occurring on that stretch of coastline, the amount of mangrove cover and other natural sea defence barriers have been severely diminished.

The Sea and River Defence Unit has been engaging in rehabilitative work in the area for the last three years.

Samad expressed his confidence that through these works, the department is closing the critical gap of sea defence on the WCD.

 

By: Nateshia Isaacs

 

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