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Jun 22, 2014 News
– says road blockage by Public Works a bad move for trade
A decision by Government to block heavy duty vehicles from using a key road to the
Pomeroon River at Charity, Region Two, is not going down well with businesses in the area.
Last week, the Ministry of Public Works announced that it had erected signs on the roadway leading to the Charity wharf after significant sections of the embankment showed worrying signs of collapse.
At the heart of the issue is permission granted by the Sea Defence Board, of the Ministry, back in January last year, to a resident in the area to build a revetment. A gas station is reportedly also said to be under construction. It is said that the current works have triggered the current situation.
However, the Ministry said that its River and Sea Defence Unit is now currently assessing the best options to rehabilitate sections of the area which have been deteriorating over the past few weeks.
The wharf area is a critical entry point to the Pomeroon area, home to several Amerindian communities, and to the North West District, a mining area. Charity has been growing in recent years because of the increase in economic activities. A mall has even been erected there.
Several of the businesses yesterday said that barring of heavy vehicles is hurting businesses.
“We can’t unload our goods and there are many persons whose supplies have to be taken for distribution. This is a situation that is caused by a few taking decisions without speaking to the people in the area.”
The Ministry was clear last week on the problem. “Engineers have determined that heavy duty equipment/trucks that traverse the area – to the port facility – contribute to the vulnerability of defence. It is apt to note that the wharf is an economic drive in the community since it is a conduit for businesses to transport goods and services to the North West district.”
The Region Two administration, which is charged with overseeing development of the area, has reportedly said it was left out of the decision to grant permission for the gas station.
Region Two Chairman, Parmanand Persaud, reportedly called for an investigation into the circumstances that led to permission being granted.
The Pomeroon River has been known to rise rapidly during rainy weather, spilling over the embankment.
Kaieteur News has seen a letter dated January 18th, 2013, in which the Sea Defence Board took a decision on the timber sheet revetment application that was made by Jafaun Permansingh of River Dam, Charity. In the application, Permansingh wanted to construct a revetment to protect the river defence reserve and river dam.
In the letter granting permission, the Sea Defence Board said that the applicant must, however, ensure that the activities do not impede marine traffic.
The Board also made it clear that should there be any damage to the river defence due to “excessive erosion of the foreshore after any infrastructural works of any kind”, the approval will be withdrawn and terminated. The applicant will also have to bear the remedial costs if it is found that he was responsible for any adverse effect, according to the Board.
The letter by the Board was addressed to Claudette Rogers, Director of Maritime Administration Department and signed by Chairman, J.A. Cush and Secretary, J. Jafferally.
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