Consumer Concerns
Three years ago house owners in the coastal region of Georgetown were warned not to engage in elaborate house repairs as the rising Atlantic Ocean would sweep away coastal houses 20 years on. The warning was given publicity in this column. However, no interest was shown in the topic, climate change. Houses were built, mortgages were given and life continued with serenity.
Eileen Cox
There have been warnings to rice farmers and cane growers, but no one seems to take climate change seriously. The Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) seems to deal with the hinterland, the forest.
Complaints were made against the Sunday Lime along the Rupert Craig Highway in the vicinity of Sheriff Street. These complaints were intensified when, at a meeting at the Consumer Affairs division, Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Com-merce. It was disclosed that the Sunday tramping on the parapet was undermining the wall that protects us against the high seas. However, the Sunday Lime continues to this day undermining the wall and increasing the dangers of rising tides in climate change.
On the whole, we can say that there has been little interest in climate change, the melting icebergs, and the snow melting on mountain tops. We seem to be waiting for the developed world to act, and so there is no planting of mangrove or any action that would give some form of protection to our coastal areas.
In last Sunday Stabroek’s ‘Weekend Magazine,’ there is an article entitled ‘Coastal home owners face huge losses from rising sea.’ The Reuters article comes from Sydney. It describes the losses faced by Lesley and Doug McGrath:
Sea levels are expected to rise about 3.3 ft this century
* “Even with all that protection, the fury of the ocean has at times torn up their backyard, large chunks of prime real estate disappearing under waves. With scientists predicting 90 cm (3 feet) sea level rise in Sydney by 2050 due to climate change, the house itself may yet be in danger.”
* “Sea levels are widely expected to rise about one metre (3.3 feet) this century due to climate change, faster than the 18-59 cm (7-23 inches) outlined in a United Nations Climate Panel report in 2007.”
* “And coastal communities around the world are already feeling the destructive effects of more frequent and violent ocean storms, a pattern of rising seas.”
* “Other islanders tell stories of sitting and watching the ocean slowly devour their homes, and desperately trying to climate-proof their villages by constructing seawalls, planting mangroves to halt erosion and testing salt-resistant crops.”
So what do we do in Guyana? Wait for the developed world or think for ourselves?
A great article but no one is at home to listen or may have the volume turn up on high so as to not hear. Or can it be that they are busy defending some action/business practise or lack there?
The self-destruction is amazing with the contribution of the great leaders of Guyana (all parties to be held responsible – the current leadership and the oppositions for waiting for them to fail) will truely return the “land of many waters” back to the ocean and swamp lands from whence it came.
Too late will be the cry and then again there will be no one around to hear the cries or to place the blame in the blame game – “wait a minute!” Yes, the younger generation will feel the squeeze, while the plder one ones could have made a difference will be retired in some far-a-way land in countries they had critized while in politics as they gain santuary in places like the U.S.A, Canada, England….
“so we continue to chase our tails and wait!”
Until the people of Guyana recognize that the Government and the Opposition leaders work for them and not the other way around, there will be no united and sustained demand for a plan of action to either protect the coastlands or to move the population inland where it would be safe from the mighty, wonderful and potentially deadly forces of the Atlantic Ocean. Without a united voice, we are all just waiting for the next disaster to point fingers of blame, taking no responsibility for our lives and that of our children. Prayerfully, nothing will happen before this generation rises up and demands some accountability. I believe in the you th of the world. They can and will make a difference. Ensh allah!
Cheryl says, “…or to move the population inland where it would be safe from the mighty, wonderful and potentially deadly forces of the Atlantic Ocean..” But of course ’sis.
But yes, I’m sure they hear you and folks like Eileen Cox loud and clear however, the GoG must understand that they can’t just up and run to higher ground from the fury of the Atlantic Ocean. Might I remind you guys that nobody or country has ever had the luxury of running from the sea.
The simple predicament is that Guyana must modernize by fixing the coastline sea defense anyway, because in 5/6 decades time the ocean will eventually find your higher ground paradise. Then we’ll have another coastline sea defense problem to contend with again.
The solution is for the GoG to make finding a funding source big enough to finance the construction of the entire Coastline Sea Defense a legislative priority like yesterday.