Georgetown: The Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) Chambers of Commerce and Industry (R3CCI) have welcomed the development of a Shore Base at Malgre Tout/Versailles, West Bank Demerara.
According to President of the R3CCI Halim Khan, the chambers observed in the news, issues surrounding the proposed development of a Shore Base and have reviewed the situation and understand that the mangroves are important for Sea Defence.
However, Khan said that the proposed Shore Base will use steel sheet piling construction, which will serve to protect the shorelines and prevent flooding of the community.
“We welcome the Shore Base facility in Region Three as it will require materials, labour, and services that exist in the community. We, therefore, support the establishment of a Shore Base facility, since during construction, development, and completion it will benefit the people of Region Three,” he noted.
Further, Khan explained that because of the nature of development expected to occur in Guyana applications and expressions of interest for more shore base facilities are inevitable on the western side of the Demerara River and measures will be instituted to replicate the function of the mangroves.
“The project should been viewed as a positive for the region given its economic impact and ability to generate jobs,” he noted.
With projections for the production of 220,000 barrels of oil per day from 2023 and 500,000 by 2025, Khan explained that the Houston, East Bank Demerara shore base alone will not suffice and has advertised for firms to show their onshore support services capabilities.
The swathe of mangroves is being cleared by TriStar Incorporated, a company owned by Guyanese-born Krishna Persaud, who hails from Region Three but is a naturalised United States (US) citizen, with intention of establishing a US$100 million proposed shore base and wharf facility at the said locality.
Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill on Monday said Guyana being an oil-producing nation, there are infrastructural developments that are necessary to facilitate and properly service the industry, one such development is the establishing of shore base facilities.
Edghill pointed out that the eastern bank of the Demerara river, which now houses stellings, wharfs and shore base developments, was once lined with mangroves, which had to be cleared to facilitate those development, as “development comes with changes”. He explained that the same is necessary for the western section of the Demerara River.
“So, the big issue here is the cutting of the mangroves to facilitate this development, the big issue is not flooding because the adequacy of the measures – the hard structures to prevent flooding are in place, so the big issue is if we should cut mangroves or don’t cut mangroves,” he added.
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