Above: Grenada (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Grenada has broken ground on a flood mitigation project on the St Mark’s River.

The $5 million project, which is expected to be completed in a year, seeks to secure the St Mark’s River, which has heavily flooded over the years.

It is being executed by the China Harbour Engineering Company, according to the government.

“Some people call it the ‘Great River’, but we do know that it is a sleeping giant, which sometimes wake up and create havoc,” said Clarice Modeste Curwen, Parliamentary Representative for St Mark. “So we are extremely grateful for this disaster mitigation measure that is being launched at this time.”
The project will include water dredging, slope protection and reconstruction, flood mitigation structure construction and waterfront and sub-grade repairs.

Several government officials, including Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, Works Minister Gregory Bowen and Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications and Works, Physical Development, Public Utilities and ICT Alvin Dabre, were on hand for the sod-turning ceremony.