Guyana's sea defence: mangroves to get special attention

$5b sea defence pact signed-mangroves to get special attention
Starbroek News 20 Dec 07;

Expensive structures were not always necessary and in some instances, earthen embankments would suffice.

The European Union (EU) is pumping an additional $5 billion into Guyana's sea defences with special emphasis on shoring up the mangrove bulwark and it has also underlined the importance of a sector policy.

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and Head of the EU Delegation Ambassador Geert Heikens signed the agreement for the $5 billion sea defence project yesterday. Earlier this year, in March, a similar agreement worth 900,000 euros had been signed.

The new agreement, Heikens pointed out in brief remarks, provides for preventative maintenance and reconstruction as the main components as well as the institutional capacity building components, including the expansion of the already established Shore Zone Management System.

He said the EU was happy to assist Guyana in the long-term development of the sea defence sector.

Mangroves, which are the first line of sea defence are an additional element being catered for under the programme. Head of the Sea and River Defence Division of the Public Works Ministry George Howard, who was on hand for the signing, explained that the financial assistance will cover reconstruction and rehabilitation of Sea Defence works in Ann's Grove and Clonbrook in Region Four and Number 66 Village in Region Six. Work will also be done on the sea defence in Regions Two and Three, including Wakenaam, Howard said.

He pointed out too that the division was also in the process of designing sea defences for Leguan, for which local funds were being used.

In the area of institutional capacity building, he explained that consultants were already here and have started with the design of programmes.

Regarding the mangrove management programme, Howard said the department intended to improve this. He said there were some areas where this would be sufficient in terms of defence from sea encroachment. He noted that expensive structures were not always necessary and in some instances, earthen embankments would suffice.

However, the re-planting and maintenance of mangroves could cost as much as US$3.8 million per kilometre.

In this regard, he said that a public education programme would be designed to sensitize people on the use of mangroves and their role in ensuring that they are not destroyed.

He acknowledged that some "stepping-up" would have to be done in terms of maintenance management of sea defences.

The Finance Minister in expressing thanks to the EU underscored the importance of the emphasis being placed on the sector against the background of the challenges countries like Guyana face in the wake of climate change.

"We have had to wrestle with the challenges of living below sea level and it has not been an easy battle given the reality of Guyana's topography," he said.

He explained that the EU funds will augment resources provided from the local budget to enhance the capacity of the sea defence.

An EU statement said the backlog of rehabilitation of the severely deteriorated sea defence was estimated at about 20 years, and the present state of the sea defence was considered critical.

It said the overall strategic objective of the programme will be the improvement of the living conditions of the population by increased confidence against inundation by sea water.

Heikens said the EU will place special emphasis on assisting government in its efforts to develop a Sea Defence Sector policy, for which terms of reference have already been finalised. "A sector policy will not only provide the basis required to ensure adequate levels of funding for preventative maintenance, but will also provide for an integrated comprehensive approach under which co-ordinated and sustainable actions can take place," he said.

The European Development Fund is currently the only long-term active donor in the sea defence sector in Guyana.