The first phase of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) funded $6.4 billion (US$30.9 million) Sea and River Defence Resilience project is on schedule and is expected to be completed by June, according to contractor Dr. Khrisna Narine of SRK Engineering firm
The Department of Public Information, (DPI) yesterday reported Narine as saying that the current phase of the project caters for works along the Essequibo Coast at Johanna Cecelia, Zorg and Golden Fleece, and at Success and Endeavour on the island of Leguan.
Narine, the report noted, explained that within another seven weeks, the works at Zorg’s sea defence will be completed after which, works will commence on the Essequibo Coast at Golden Fleece.
He added that while one of the components of the project is to rehabilitate the sea defence mechanism, it is also a land reclamation exercise. “As you can see, the line of the old defence was out in the sea, and after years of breaches, they retreated in and in until the sea dam was close to the house lots…so what we have taken the opportunity to do in this project was to go back to the original line of sea defence,” he was quoted as saying.
Narine added that with the reclaimed land, recreational facilities can be constructed.
Narine also said Phase One is also well within its budget. The CDB funded project was launched in 2016 and expanded in 2018. It is expected to provide for the reconstruction and improvement of approximately 5.4 km of sea and river defences in eight critical areas, in regions Two, Three, Four and Six.
