Multi Million Dollar Coastal Erosion Project Underway In Mayaro

Описание: A multi-million dollar coastal erosion project is underway in the Mayaro area.

The project is aimed at ensuring that hundreds of Mayaro residents are not cut off from their jobs, schools, and surrounding communities.

Minister of Works and Transport, Rohan Sinanan, said about a year ago it was identified that coastal erosion was threatening to cut off access to areas within the Mayaro region.

Unveiling one of his Ministry's multi-million dollar projects in the affected area on Monday, he said this is why the project was earmarked.

"This morning, we are happy that the project itself is completed, and what this would have done is that we would have gotten back a lot of the land that we would have lost due to coastal erosion and protect the area."

Councillor for Mayaro North, Ryan Stewart, said the area's fishermen, residents, and visitors will be positively impacted by the project.

"I would think roughly around fifteen hundred persons would have been affected. If we had to look holistically and if we also had to pay attention to the Easter vacation, which is important to our community when we have a lot of villagers, a lot of people venturing into the community. They actually do camping in this area, so now with this project we could allow for the camping."

Minister Sinanan said there were several tourism sites that would have been cut off by the area's coastal challenges.

"The Point Radix project and it also includes part of the Mayaro coastal revetment work, which is taking place. This is phase one and that is phase two. Phase One completed. Phase Two is about fifty percent completed. It's all part of the National Coastal Management Programme that we have where we identify again the vulnerable areas and actually choose projects that will sort of stabilise the area."

The Works and Transport Minister shared the cost of the entire project.

"The total project here was $26 million. Coastal projects are very expensive because, in most cases, you have to actually bring in rocks from other areas to do it. Coastal projects are expensive, there is a challenge, but it has to be done. If not, a significant amount of our communities will be cut off."

Minister Sinanan noted the Ministry also has a Coastal Monitoring Programme where they work to implement projects that will help address climate change challenges such as rising sea levels.