A local construction engineer has expressed concern over whether the foundation of the 103 ft, 178-year-old Kingston Lighthouse could withstand the heavy pile driving that would be required for the building of a hotel.
The 103 ft 178-year-old Kingston Lighthouse, which is a national monument.
A site in the area has been earmarked for the construction of a US$52 million 160-room hotel with casino, nightclub, restaurants and a conference centre in a ten-storey building of approximately 185,000 square feet. Preparatory work, such as clearing the site of derelict buildings and vegetation, has been completed and the developers are currently seeking an environmental permit to begin work this year.
The engineer, who prefers anonymity, told Stabroek News that he was concerned about the weakening of the foundation of the lighthouse, buildings in the vicinity and the seawall itself due to the pile driving exercise that would be necessary.
There was also a suggestion that instead of building a hotel, the history of the area should be preserved through the recreation of the historical Fort Groyne.
The lighthouse, with its distinct vertical red and white stripes, was first built as a wooden structure by the Dutch in 1817 and then replaced by British engineers with a brick structure in 1830 (it was commissioned on June 1, 1830). The current building, which is a national monument, was reinforced on a foundation of 49 greenheart piles.
The lighthouse, as an aid to navigation is covered under the Guyana Shipping Act 1998. It says, under Section 242, that no aid shall be established without the prior authorisation of the director and unless it confirms to such specifications as may be stipulated; no aid shall be discontinued or have its fighting characteristics or any other distinguishing feature altered. The Act also stipulates that the director shall ensure that all aids are established in compliance with the stipulated conditions and specifications and are maintained in working order; and bring to the attention of the public information on changes to, or, deficiencies in any aid to navigation.
Meanwhile, historical architect and member of the National Trust, Lennox Hernandes, said he believed the area was bad for hotel development.
“I personally feel it is bad for hotel development from a historical architectural point of view,” he said, adding, “Fort Groyne is a very historical area. There is a lot of history there. Building a hotel on that site would be taking away the history from the people. I think history should be recreated to benefit all Guyanese.”
Recreating the historical site, he said could enhance tourism and recreation development in the area and it may have economic benefits though not the same as a hotel.
He bemoaned the fact that the Luckoo Swimming Pool was not reconstructed and suggested that it could still be rebuilt to add to the limited recreational facilities, badly needed in the city. Building a hotel there, he added would be “taking that recreation facility out of the hands of ordinary Guyanese.”
Meanwhile, Environmen-tal Management Consultants (EMC), which conducted an Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the developers of the hotel Adam Development/Urbahn Associates (ADUA) has suggested placing a beacon on the highest point of the hotel with further range, greater visibility and low maintenance. The recommendation was made to mitigate the hotel project standing in the way of the Lighthouse, which serves as the beacon to incoming ocean-going vessels, at the mouth of the Demerara River.
Stabroek News understands that the Marine Administration Department (MARAD) is looking at options as to where to place the light to guide mariners at sea who depend on the Lighthouse, in the event that the hotel is built.
In a telephone interview, Harbour Master Volton Skeete told Stabroek News on Friday that the proposed hotel would be a larger building that would block the Lighthouse from mariners at sea.
However, he contended, there were options including building a new Lighthouse or placing a rotating light on top of the proposed hotel.
If the hotel – dubbed the Georgetown Marriott, Hotel Casino and Entertainment Complex’ is built – Skeete said, the light would definitely have to move. He said there would be advantages in moving it to a higher building extending the range of visibility on a clear night by just about five miles more on the horizon. The range on a clear night is about 15 miles.
Skeete said that because of modern technology aiding navigation both on land and at sea, the lighthouse has more or less outgrown its usefulness as a mariner’s guide, even though it is still used by some fishermen not equipped with the advanced technology.
He said a large hotel with lots of light, “That alone will serve as a guide to fishermen at sea.”
However, Hernandes said, even if the functions of the Lighthouse were no longer needed for navigational purposes, its panoramic view would be curtailed by the hotel development. He noted that at present ordinary people and tourists make climbing the spiraling stairway to the top of the Lighthouse, a sort of pilgrimage. From there, they are able to enjoy views of the city, the Demerara River, the West Coast and far out to sea.
In seeking out the spot for the construction of the hotel, the ESIA said, the developers considered a number of properties, including sites near the Guyana International Con-vention Centre at Liliendaal and Buddy’s International Hotel at Providence. None of the sites was found to be appropriate, as they were deemed too remote from the central Georgetown business centre, lacking sufficient utilities and not offering the panoramic view of the Kingston location.
The ESIA said the Kingston site was considered because it fell within an area in the Greater Georgetown Development Plan (GGDP), which has been proposed as an area to feature mainly recreational facilities.
The hotel project site covers an area of 6.27 acres of land that previously housed the Food and Drug Analyst Department and Luckoo Swimming Pool and it is contiguous to the Atlantic Ocean and the Demerara River. Neighbouring properties include the National Centre for Educational Resource Centre, Le Meridien Pegasus, Demerara Timbers Limited, Guyana Forestry Commis-sion and the Coast Guard. The Lighthouse, an outstanding feature of the landscape, which is less than 200 metres away from the proposed development site is not listed as a neighbouring property.
………this is a historical land mark……..i can remember school tours back in the days……..the first place you visited was the light house…….you see the city of georgetown as a kid….you had to walk up to the top….!!……..sharma here is where you come into play……… take this case to court………..this ia a historical land mark……….how many kids attending school today in the country side visited the light house……visit the caribbean and you will see other caribbean countries taking care of their light house……..guyanese stand up for what is right……where is our guyana historical society /department..??…..who is responsible for historical buildings……takes me back to the new amsterdam hospital…….
The lighthouse should not be allowed to stand in the way of progress; pull it down and the quicker the better. It is an ugly, old eyesore.
Include State House, Castelline House, Red House and all those other outdated ugly eyessores such as Congress Place & Freedom House.
And you call yourself a Guyanese.
Why don’t you describe those sophisticated lighthouses in Canada for us? Surely they must be loaded with 21st century equipment.
Solution: Let Marriott build and bigger, stronger and taller lighthouse while building the hotel. Then hand it over as a no-string-attached gift to the country.
I back you on that one Irreverend.
The cost for doing as you suggest is a fraction of the cost for the hotel, and would paint a good image of the developers.
The lighthouse has served its required purpose well. Now it is a little less than an eyesore. Constant blackouts render it not being a lighthouse but a ……house (you figure).
I have a very thought provoking question which I’ve seen one blogger come close to asking but didn’t.
COUNTRIES BUILD HOTELS TO ATTRACT AND HOUSE TOURISTS – IS GUYANA EQUIPPED TO ATTRACT TOURISTS TO OCCUPY THESE HOTELS THAT ARE BEING BUILT?
I asked before right here if anyone knew what purpose the stadium would serve after the CWC. Didn’t get any realistic answers.
Isn’t these things a misuse of the country’s revenues?
I agree with you Ankoko…..the Govt continues to waste resourses on ‘white elephants’…..i read that a newly built hotel is up for sale, and one somewhere on the East Bank Demerara cannot even be completed. Guyana needs industries and factories not hotels…..I wonder where the money is coming from to pay for this hotel?????? that’s no going to make any money.
this is a damn shame ! The government should put their foot down, and order them to build else where. What about Essequibo, Linden, Berbice, Bartica.There is lots of land space there, why crowd Georgetown.
Even though the hotel will be providing jobs for some, spread the wealth and develop other areas of the country. secondly,who is going to go to a casino, when crime is outrageous.- you probably would have to dress in disguise, to go in, and comeout, cause the next thing you know, you would be followed and hijacked for your winnings.
I am sure if the hotel is located outside of G/town, it can be promoted as a tourist attraction. A jump on a plane to overnight and gamble in essequibo or bartica , along with a day tour of the area, sound like music to my ears and a more financial advantageous move to me.
This way there is a complete win win for everyone.
We keep our historical landmark,( the lighthouse – I woud also suggest to rebuild luckoo swimming pool for the kids),
the hotel is built outside of the city, it provides jobs for the people in the area, georgetown is not overcrowded with empty hotels, it deters crime and provides additional tourism for the country.
Let me ask you Betsy, what infrastructure do we have in the Essiquibo, Linden, Berbice, and Bartica for the tourist ? Are they to sit on the balconys of there hotel rooms and watch the cows walk the streets?
Betsy!!
I was never referring to bright lights of a city, I am merely saying that you need certain entities in place for people to be comfortable…
Like security, banks for currency exchange, potable water, hot and cold showers, recreational areas, museums and the least a descent hotel. The places you mentioned, do they have these things.
I have traveled the 83,000 square miles of Guyana, and I’ve seen many countries around the world.
A local construction engineer who works for Stabroek News.
Between Stabroek and Kaieteur the have a bevy of nameless experts.
Time for innovative changes guys –we live in a modern era . If guyana wishes to invite foreigners and get their money —then it is time for a change .Either tear the Lighthouse down or recolate it to higher grounds as proposed . It is an eyesore and a place for vagrants .
You have to be kiddin’! Or playing devil’s advocate. Tell me you are not serious! It is these kind of historic site that visitors will pay premium dollar to see and experience. Come on my friend….join us in the twenty first century and demonstrate a bit more sophistication in terms of how you view our world.
How many of you visited the Lighthouse?been inside that is.
The leaning tower of Pisa a wonder of the World, was once tilting so much. NOW IT IS ALMOST STRAIGHT====Solution——–They escavated around, Straitened it almost 90 degrees, and put a new foundation. Compare the two structures.
The same can be done with our local Treasure the Lighthouse. This must not hinder progress, we must keep development going to create JOBS, or else the Guyanese population will never rise, because of the massive exodus to other countries in search for work……….Belive you me!!!
my friend guyana is 83,000 sq miles you cant find a decent spot to put
your hotel you have to build it right next to a historical monument com on
arnold nobody is hindering progress but damn use your brains that god
give you man , the visionless govt. should have told these investors that
the lighthouse is a historic structure/monument and to look at other sites
to build so i dont see no hinder to progress in guyana
ok fellas tear down the lighthouse its an eyesore this is a modern day and age
so why not tear down st georges cathederal ,tear down the supreme court its not functioning, leh we tear down everything in the country and build anew that is what progress mean right?? also chop down all them trees in the interior
and make way for new buildings and roads.