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US$20M budgeted to strengthen river, sea defences
Kaieteur News – River and sea defence this year will be further strengthened as the Government allocated in its National Budget, a total of $4.9 billion (US$20M) to repair and maintain those areas.
This is according to Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh who presented this year’s budget on Monday in the National Assembly. The budget which is deemed the largest ever is set at $781.9 billion.
During his presentation, Minister Singh told the Assembly that to ensure that coastal and riverain residents and farmers are protected from the threats of climate change, the Government has already undertaken several interventions comprising the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of sea and river defence structures across various areas.
He explained that several geotextile tube groynes at Anna Regina, Devonshire Castle, Reliance and Non Pariel were constructed, along with the planting of mangrove seedlings.
“Mr. Speaker, in 2022, an amount of $5.5 billion was expended on the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of sea and river defence structures at areas, including La Resource/Maria’s Delight, Leguan, Good Success/New Hope, Bygeval, Bengal, and Glasgow,” he noted.
Kaieteur News had reported in December that a $339 million contract was awarded through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board office to construct a rip-rap sea defence at Mahaicony between Essex and Concord.
It was reported that the contractor is contracted to construct 350 meters of rip-rap sea defence at Mahaicony between Essex and Concord. This publication was informed that it would be an elaborate rip-rap structure which would have berm (the flat strip of land bordering a river or canal).
During a visit to the area in November, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill had announced that works will continue aggressively since the area is being threatened by the sea, especially with the increasing high tides. He said that sea defence is an expensive venture, but his Ministry is committed to facilitating interventions.
In the 2023 budget however, an amount of $4.9 billion has been allocated towards the protection and preservation of the country’s sea and river defences. To this end, rip-rap sea defence structures will be undertaken in areas, including Abrams Zuil, Anna Catherina, Zeeburg, Better Hope, Belvedere, Joppa, Eversham and Speightland, the Minister listed.
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