The authorities would need billions of dollars within the next two years to execute urgent repairs to the country’s sea defence. Failure to do so could result in major consequences for persons living along the coastline.
Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson has revealed that over 32km of the country’s sea defence is under immediate threat.
“We have immediately 32.9km [of sea defence] that are under imminent threat as we speak. It is estimated that if we don’t do urgent repairs…within the next two years, events such as is happening now in the Mahaicony District will occur all across the country,” Minister Patterson said.
These events include the severe flooding caused by overtopping during the high tide periods.
Flooding was so severe that farmlands, which were inundated by the ocean’s salt water, have become barren. Residents became vulnerable and suffered major losses.
Guyana currently has 473.3km of managed sea defence, stretching from Shell Beach in Region One to the Corentyne. Government allocates some $2 billion every year to maintain the sea defence.
But according to the Public Infrastructure Minister, much more is needed within the next two years, to address this immediate threat.
The Minister made these comments on Thursday night at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen and Tain Talks which examined “Green Building for Resilient Future Cities”.
Guyana is considered one of the most vulnerable Caribbean Community (Caricom) Member States as sea levels rise. Nearly 90 per cent of its population resides on the coast, which accounts for the majority of the country’s GDP.
Discussions have already begun at different forums on the need to move the capital city to higher grounds. But Minister Patterson has cautioned that such talks should take into consideration specifics, such as likely locations and what or who will be relocated.
In fact, the matter has already engaged Cabinet and according to Minister Patterson, a high-level committee would need to be established to look at issues like the relocation of administration centres, and the establishment of an entity tasked with urban planning and development.
Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency Joseph Harmon, during a post-Cabinet press briefing, noted that the Government has begun to consider several ways in which to address the situation, including the relocation of people living along the coast.
