A view of the mouth of the Essequibo River taken from Google Earth.
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http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/features/01/19/a-deep-water-harbour/
A deep water harbour
By Stabroek staff January 19, 2010 in Daily, Features
Peter R. Ramsaroop, MBA
Good gubby nah ah float ah tap. (Good things don’t come easily.) Guyanese Proverb
Introduction
Infrastructure is to a nation what blood vessels are to a living being. Just as our blood vessels carry vital nutrients to every cell in our body, so does a nation’s infrastructure make transport possible – whether the transport of physical goods, energy or information. If a person’s circulatory system were unable to do its work properly, one might sit in the midst of paradisiacal abundance and yet starve. In a sense, that is the situation that Guyana finds itself in today. Although work has been done on the main roads as an example, access roads to villages and farms remain in dire need of improvement. A rice farmer without an all-weather access road can take hours to get to the rice fields as is the case in West Berbice.
At present, our infrastructure suffices (minimally at least) for our traditional economy. It is capable of transporting the raw materials of sugar, bauxite, gold and industry-grade diamonds for export. But to climb out of poverty and enter prosperity, we must expand beyond these traditional products and progress to new industries such as advanced agro-processing, value-added goods, tourism, connection with Brazil and so forth.Freeing the infrastructure logjam – deep water harbour
The need for a deep water harbour was first introduced to the public by Stanley Ming, Eric Phillips and Kads Khan in the late 90s with the Guyana 21 plan. This was also added in the National Development Strategy (NDS). We continue to push aggressively for this project to get started by the government. The PPP administration finally in 2006 copied this item to its manifesto but has done nothing to move the project forward. The President, in his 2010 New Year message said this is the year of infrastructure and I hope he didn’t mean fixing the same roads they did last year, but that a deep-water harbour is in the top 3 of all projects. We continue to support this initiative as a key component in turning our economy around and creating prosperity for our citizens.
The best place for the deep water harbour is at the mouth of the mighty Essequibo River.
In addition Hog Island in the Essequibo can function as an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) where domestic taxes and other obligations are minimized thus encouraging private investments in small, medium and large companies.
A deep water harbor
The picture of a harbour construction is from a French Engineer who is currently in Guyana. He was one of the main architects of a deep water harbour in North Africa. The purpose of the picture is to show that such a construction project is very possible here also. The cost for such a project can run to in excess of US$200 million. One alternative is to build a large river port in Georgetown that run into the Atlantic Ocean as a faster alternative until monies are available for a deep water harbour.
BenefitsThe highway to Brazil must also be completed for this project to realize the most benefits. Ships to and from Asia and North America to Northern Brazil can port at a deep water harbour in Guyana and goods will get to Northern Brazil and further south by trucks and rail saving almost 6-8 days.
One of the key reasons for the Hog Island site for the export processing zone, is that it is part of shifting our major infrastructure and economic activity off our increasingly flood prone below sea level coastal plains. In addition a deep water harbour also allows for the larger cruise liners to dock in Guyana giving our eco-tourism industry a significant boost.
Like present-day Guyana, Suriname suffers from high shipping costs due to the absence of a deep water harbour. When we construct a deep water harbour this would lead to a substantial lowering of import costs and will stimulate greater export activity through the availability of roll-on/roll off facilities and high-speed goods transfer systems.
Imagine the new jobs that would be created, from construction, harbour logistics, shipping technology, tourism, manufacturing, ship maintenance, and engineering, easier availability to markets, etc.
ConclusionWe need to be bold in Guyana and create the conditions to encourage large investments in the country’s infrastructure which include partnerships with the private sector, neighbouring countries and the multilateral banks. This requires a government with a vision for the development of all Guyana and hence it requires that we work on changing the current government. It’s our “Guyanese Dream” to have prosperity, therefore believe that the dreams described in this column are truly realistic goals–when we dare to envision them and actualize them. Let’s make them a reality. Until next time “Roop”
Send comments to peter.ramsaroop@gmail.com
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Nota del editor del blog: Al referenciarse a la República Cooperativa de Guyana se deben de tener en cuenta los 159.500Km2, de territorios ubicados al oeste del río Esequibo conocidos con el nombre de Guayana Esequiba o Zona en Reclamación sujetos al Acuerdo de Ginebra del 17 de febrero de 1966.
Territorios estos sobre los cuales el gobierno Venezolano en representación de la Nación venezolana se reservo sus derechos sobre los territorios de la Guayana Esequiba en su nota del 26 de mayo de 1966 al reconocerse al nuevo Estado de Guyana .
“...por lo tanto, Venezuela reconoce como territorio del nuevo Estado, el que se sitúa al este de la margen derecha del río Esequibo y reitera ante la comunidad internacional, que se reserva expresamente sus derechos de soberanía territorial sobre la zona que se encuentra en la margen izquierda del precitado río; en consecuencia, el territorio de la Guayana Esequiba sobre el cual Venezuela se reserva expresamente sus derechos soberanos, limita al Este con el nuevo Estado de Guyana, a través de la línea del río Esequibo, tomando éste desde su nacimiento hasta su desembocadura en el Océano Atlántico...”
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/features/01/19/a-deep-water-harbour/
A deep water harbour
By Stabroek staff January 19, 2010 in Daily, Features
Peter R. Ramsaroop, MBA
Good gubby nah ah float ah tap. (Good things don’t come easily.) Guyanese Proverb
Introduction
Infrastructure is to a nation what blood vessels are to a living being. Just as our blood vessels carry vital nutrients to every cell in our body, so does a nation’s infrastructure make transport possible – whether the transport of physical goods, energy or information. If a person’s circulatory system were unable to do its work properly, one might sit in the midst of paradisiacal abundance and yet starve. In a sense, that is the situation that Guyana finds itself in today. Although work has been done on the main roads as an example, access roads to villages and farms remain in dire need of improvement. A rice farmer without an all-weather access road can take hours to get to the rice fields as is the case in West Berbice.
At present, our infrastructure suffices (minimally at least) for our traditional economy. It is capable of transporting the raw materials of sugar, bauxite, gold and industry-grade diamonds for export. But to climb out of poverty and enter prosperity, we must expand beyond these traditional products and progress to new industries such as advanced agro-processing, value-added goods, tourism, connection with Brazil and so forth.Freeing the infrastructure logjam – deep water harbour
The need for a deep water harbour was first introduced to the public by Stanley Ming, Eric Phillips and Kads Khan in the late 90s with the Guyana 21 plan. This was also added in the National Development Strategy (NDS). We continue to push aggressively for this project to get started by the government. The PPP administration finally in 2006 copied this item to its manifesto but has done nothing to move the project forward. The President, in his 2010 New Year message said this is the year of infrastructure and I hope he didn’t mean fixing the same roads they did last year, but that a deep-water harbour is in the top 3 of all projects. We continue to support this initiative as a key component in turning our economy around and creating prosperity for our citizens.
The best place for the deep water harbour is at the mouth of the mighty Essequibo River.
In addition Hog Island in the Essequibo can function as an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) where domestic taxes and other obligations are minimized thus encouraging private investments in small, medium and large companies.
A deep water harbor
The picture of a harbour construction is from a French Engineer who is currently in Guyana. He was one of the main architects of a deep water harbour in North Africa. The purpose of the picture is to show that such a construction project is very possible here also. The cost for such a project can run to in excess of US$200 million. One alternative is to build a large river port in Georgetown that run into the Atlantic Ocean as a faster alternative until monies are available for a deep water harbour.
BenefitsThe highway to Brazil must also be completed for this project to realize the most benefits. Ships to and from Asia and North America to Northern Brazil can port at a deep water harbour in Guyana and goods will get to Northern Brazil and further south by trucks and rail saving almost 6-8 days.
One of the key reasons for the Hog Island site for the export processing zone, is that it is part of shifting our major infrastructure and economic activity off our increasingly flood prone below sea level coastal plains. In addition a deep water harbour also allows for the larger cruise liners to dock in Guyana giving our eco-tourism industry a significant boost.
Like present-day Guyana, Suriname suffers from high shipping costs due to the absence of a deep water harbour. When we construct a deep water harbour this would lead to a substantial lowering of import costs and will stimulate greater export activity through the availability of roll-on/roll off facilities and high-speed goods transfer systems.
Imagine the new jobs that would be created, from construction, harbour logistics, shipping technology, tourism, manufacturing, ship maintenance, and engineering, easier availability to markets, etc.
ConclusionWe need to be bold in Guyana and create the conditions to encourage large investments in the country’s infrastructure which include partnerships with the private sector, neighbouring countries and the multilateral banks. This requires a government with a vision for the development of all Guyana and hence it requires that we work on changing the current government. It’s our “Guyanese Dream” to have prosperity, therefore believe that the dreams described in this column are truly realistic goals–when we dare to envision them and actualize them. Let’s make them a reality. Until next time “Roop”
Send comments to peter.ramsaroop@gmail.com
Related Articles
Another feasibility study on Brazil/Guyana Road Link this year - Another feasibility study on the construction of a highway between Bon Fim in Brazil and Linden and
Should we not be using laterite in road construction? - Dear Editor, I was fortunate to recently visit the road construction work ongoing at the Takutu Brid
Long overdue new roads, drainage for Cummings Lodge - Residents of Cummings Lodge will have new roads and proper drainage by yearend and while expressing
Lethem is still not ready for the Takutu Bridge - Dear Editor, The Takutu Bridge is complete, compliments of our Brazilian neighbours. The road on the
Nota del editor del blog: Al referenciarse a la República Cooperativa de Guyana se deben de tener en cuenta los 159.500Km2, de territorios ubicados al oeste del río Esequibo conocidos con el nombre de Guayana Esequiba o Zona en Reclamación sujetos al Acuerdo de Ginebra del 17 de febrero de 1966.
Territorios estos sobre los cuales el gobierno Venezolano en representación de la Nación venezolana se reservo sus derechos sobre los territorios de la Guayana Esequiba en su nota del 26 de mayo de 1966 al reconocerse al nuevo Estado de Guyana .
“...por lo tanto, Venezuela reconoce como territorio del nuevo Estado, el que se sitúa al este de la margen derecha del río Esequibo y reitera ante la comunidad internacional, que se reserva expresamente sus derechos de soberanía territorial sobre la zona que se encuentra en la margen izquierda del precitado río; en consecuencia, el territorio de la Guayana Esequiba sobre el cual Venezuela se reserva expresamente sus derechos soberanos, limita al Este con el nuevo Estado de Guyana, a través de la línea del río Esequibo, tomando éste desde su nacimiento hasta su desembocadura en el Océano Atlántico...”
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