Road realignment and sea defense construction in Shipping Bay, Biabou, have begun as the government of St. Vincent works to defend the islands’ coastlines from rising sea levels.
Finance Minister Camilo Gonsalves stated in January 2023 that area MP Frederick Stephenson was essential in drawing the government’s attention to the scale of this issue, raising the alarm about its importance, and participating in comprehensive negotiations concerning project design and financing.
“The erosion at Shipping Bay threatens to collapse the Windward Highway, effectively cutting off automobile access to half of St. Vincent’s Windward side.” “We can’t let this happen,” Gonsalves said.
$800,000 will be spent to create 64 meters of stone revetment at the most dangerous areas to reduce the shock of the crashing waves.
The $5.2 million project will be completed over the following two years.
The St. Vincent Times reported in May 2017 that a retaining wall and gabions in the area were collapsing. At the time, the then-Chief Engineer Brent Bailey, who worked for the Ministry of Transport and Works, warned us that the coastal zone on the windward side of St. Vincent was suffering erosion rates ranging from half a meter to three and a half meters per year in some regions.
