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New Sea Defence Board targets illegal occupation of reserves
Government is vowing a zero tolerance on persons blocking its sea defence reserves, warning that a new policy will see increase activities by inspectors.
Ministers David Patterson and Annette Ferguson with the new board yesterday. At extreme left is Chairman, John Cush.
The charge was made yesterday as Minister of Public Infrastructure met with several members of the new Sea Defence Board.
Among other things, the Board is looking to have its members given identification cards to carry out their work.
According to Patterson, one of the issues that the new board will be expected to work on will be centralization of how the country deals with sea defence issues.
Before time, there were coordination problems with the different agencies, including the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the regional authorities and others, doing work.
When things went wrong, there were accusing fingers being pointed.
The meeting with the new board, which will consist of 19 persons drawn from regions and ministries, took place at Patterson’s Wight’s Lane office, in Kingston.
Patterson noted that one of the immediate problems that the board will have to deal with is the blocking of ingress and egress for sea defence areas.
Over time, there has been illegal construction, placing the coastland at risk. It has also posed problems when emergency works have to be carried out and equipment has to be moved into the area.
There must be an “emphatic” stance by the board to correct the current situation, the minister urged. There will be no governmental interference in the work of the board, he assured.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, who was present at the meeting, stressed that the new board will have to be working in the interest of not only the ministry, but the country.
Billions have been allocated to the protection of sea defence in the country over the last decade.
With Guyana’s coastlands, home to thousands of acres of farmland, under sea level, protection has been of critical importance in recent years.
Under the latest funding programme, the country is set to receive assistance from the European Union of up to €34 million until 2020 to focus on climate change adaption, disaster reduction and sustainable infrastructure, including sea defences.
Chairing the board will be experienced engineer, John Cush, with the members being Kenneth Jordan, Geoffrey Vaughn, Kevin Samad, Maitland Stewart, Imole McDonald, Rion Peters, Beni Sankar, Abena Moore, Julius Faerber, Floyd Hendy, Arnold Adams, Dennis Deoroop, Khemraj Parsram, Omadat Persaud, Heidi Gillette, Freddie Flatts, and Chabilall Ramsarup.
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