Talks ongoing for loan to undertake coastal works at Pigeon Point

Negotiations are still ongoing with the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) for a loan to assist with critical coastal erosion works at Pigeon Point.

This, according to manager of the engineering unit at the THA Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Urban Development (DIQUD), Atiba Martin.

The coastal zone unit was formed in March 2018 and is responsible for conducting risk assessments with a view to providing updated qualitative and quantitative data on risks in coastal zones. Coastal erosion at Pigeon Point has been a cause of concern for the past two Tobago House of Assembly (THA) administrations. CAF is an international banking institution that promotes sustainable development models through credit, non-refundable resources and support in technical and financial structuring of projects in the public and private sectors in Latin America.

Martin said, “We at present are trying to get a CAF loan – it’s really to do some coastal work around the island of which Pigeon Point is only one. We’re still negotiating because – we haven’t signed on the dotted line so we’re still negotiating. We’re in conversation with the Ministry of Finance and their representatives to finalise the terms and conditions of the proposal. Nothing is concrete as yet.”

He said during the last week, a report was received from Smith Warner International, the consultants looking into the rehabilitation works at Pigeon Point.

“It’s still in the infancy stage but one of the findings coming out of that study, a lot of the infrastructure that we put there were poorly done, or they’re not suitable.”

Questioned on the plans in the interim, he said the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) has been tasked with the short-term plan, while there are also long-term plans.

“In the long term, part of the intervention going forward is to do some beach vegetation, a little thing called a vegetated sand dune to help boost the sand stock that we have down there that we’re currently using, but definitely a lot of the problems were encountered because the infrastructure was poor and we’re talking about the break waters, and what have you were poorly selected.”

He admitted that a number of current stabilisation structures have outlived its design life which typically lasts 50 years and is due for replacement,

With regards to the jetty, he said tenders have gone out for the rehabilitation.

In December 2021, THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said that the project is a priority for the assembly and coastal engineers have been working on it. He said this programme would be executed through CAF. The previous administration had secured a US$15 million loan from CAF for critical coastal works. Three coastal works, he said were identified to be done by that loan – Pigeon Point, Grange Bay and the third area, originally Little Tobago, has since changed to Back Bay in Plymouth.