Sinanan: Coastal erosion could have cut off access to Mayaro

WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan reported works to prevent coastal erosion has prevented access to the Mayaro area from being cut off. He was responding to a question in the House last Friday from Mayaro MP Rushton Parray who asked for an update on the coastal erosion plans for the Guayaguayare Bay area.

He said from 2014-2017 the ministry through the Coastal Protection Unit conducted the Mayaro/Guayaguayare Coastal Study a coastal study was conducted. He reported through the study the ministry engaged global engineering consulting firm CH2M HILL which conducted a scientific analysis of the problems associated with the coastal erosion and coastal flooding within the Mayaro/Guayaguayare area. He said after this the ministry prepared a short list and a long list of alternative and detailed designs including tender and bidding documents and environmental scoping report for coastal protection measures at seven priority sites including the Coast Guard facility, the sea wall west of the new fishing facility, Guayaguayare road bridge, east Guayaguayare village, central Guayaguayare village and west Guayaguayare village.

Sinanan reported in December 2017 Cabinet agreed to the inclusion of the Mayaro/Guayaguayare Coastal Management Programme under the Critical Coastal Protection Programme for the period 2016-2022 through which the ministry intends to implement the construction of coastal protection work at a number of sites for fiscal year 2019-2020. Parray asked why priority was given to the south Cocos Bay rehabilitation when there are no houses or residences in that area whereas in the Mayaro/Guayaguayare area there are a number of homes collapsing into the ocean.

Sinanan replied: “The Coastal Protection Unit will analyse all the different areas. Although there are no houses in that area if the coastal erosion continues there what it would have done is cut off the entire Mayaro area and there would have been no access. So they look at the most critical area. Access is just as important to areas as places where there are residents living. If we allow that water to continue the entire area of Mayaro could be cut off and the only access to Mayaro would have probably been from the southern side of the island.”

Parray asked if there was any consideration to working closer with Guayaguayare residents on compensation and relocation. Sinanan replied his ministry does not deal with relocation or compensation but those areas are dealt with possibly by the Social Development Ministry and Housing Ministry.

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"Sinanan: Coastal erosion could have cut off access to Mayaro"

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