Region Five completes emergency sea defence works

Sep 15, 2015 News

Over the weekend, authorities mobilized machinery and material, and on Monday swung into action to seal a rapidly developing breach of the sea defence at Belladrum, West Coast Berbice.
Goutam Singh Khan construction firm of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (GSK) was contracted to carry out the works necessary, under supervision of Mr. Roberto Narine, District Engineer, Region Five.
According to Mr. Narine, the authorities were forced to secure assets from GSK since Government machinery is engaged in more critical areas in Region Three. He also stated that Government provided the materials needed, and that the works should be completed by the end of the day on Monday, at an estimated cost of less than $3 million.
Jennifer Wade, Member of Parliament for Region Five, was among those who turned up at the beach to observe the work in progress.
The engineer stated that the works undertaken were temporary. He said that the long-term plan is to resume the construction of the riprap sea defence, which ended just where the breach occurred. Mr. Narine said that when that project is completed, Region Five would have the most secure sea defence in the country.
Residents, especially farmers had become alarmed after seeing water flowing over the sea defence dam about two weeks ago. There was also significant erosion caused by wave action at the point where works previously done, seem to have ended abruptly. The seawater had created a channel by washing away the earth at the point where the boulders, riprap system, met the earthen embankment.
Left unattended, salt water could have reached farmlands throughout the entire West Berbice via the network of canals of the massive MMA/ADA drainage and irrigation scheme, thereby affecting the livelihood of thousands of people.

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