Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh said government has allocated $2.2 billion in this year’s budget to execute major infrastructural works in sea defence, shore zone management and mangrove regeneration.
During the delivery of the budget speech on Friday, the minister said government intends to continue executing major infrastructural works throughout the country with a view to sustaining the economic livelihoods of citizens that are most vulnerable to flooding.
“We intend to continue strengthening our extensive sea and river defence network by allocating a total of $2.2 billion to continue construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of our sea defence structures,” he said.
He said that with these resources, the government will continue restoration and maintenance of sea defence in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. “In addition, we will be developing an overall policy framework, including a national sea defence maintenance strategy which, in the long term, is expected to lower the cost of protecting the coastline.
Work will also continue on the extension of the shore zone management system in Regions Five and Six and the implementation of a pilot project for mangrove regeneration protection at Mon Repos,” he said.
