The coastal zone on the Windward side of St Vincent is experiencing erosion rates of half a meter per year, to as much as three and a half meters in some areas per year.
This information was revealed to News784 during an exclusive interview with Chief Engineer Brent Bailey, in the Ministry Of Transport and Works, Urban Development and Local Government.
“For instance areas such as shipping bay in the Peruvian Vale to Biabou area, we are seeing erosion rates between two and a half to three meters per year”.
Bailey said in the vicinity of Shipping Bay where fishers ply their trade, heading Northwards from that point, the sea is undermining part of the main Windward highway.
“There used to be a gabion defence there, that is gone, washed out, and due to such, it is warping the pavement since a cavity has developed under the road”.
“Right now I am rushing to formulate a project for the development of that entire area; we are looking at a bypass road that would go from the gas station in Peruvian Vale and exit in Spring, with the second phase from Spring to Biabou”.
Bailey told News784 that removing portions of the road from the coastal zone to further inland would provide further resilience, but it is a costly venture.
Bailey said the first phase is already designed, and he is hoping construction would begin early next year. However, the Chief Engineer stated it has to be done in conjunction with strong coastal defences.
“Once we move the road, there are still people who live in the area, who have their investments, and if we leave it in its current state the sea will keep coming in, maybe not in my lifetime, but it will happen”.
Baliey told News784 that we are only 133 square miles on the mainland, so let’s do the math.
“For one kilometre of coastline moving in ten meters that is a lot of land, very valuable coastal land that we have lost in the last 20 years”.
“And what we can potentially lose, three meters inward erosion per year, over two decades is 60 meters, and you do that over a kilometre zone, 60 meters by 1000 meters is 60,000 square meters that is much land, land that we cannot afford to lose”.
Bailey said it is not only the land but the impact it would have on those who use the area for their daily living.
“You have to look at how our fisher folk are going to operate how their lives are going to be affected, and various cultural activities, if you want to look at it as far as Biabou Playing Field, where almost every weekend there is Social and Economic activity taking place”.
