Dominica: Colihaut River Wall progresses rapidly, promising flood protection by 2025 Hurricane Season

Dominica: The construction of the Colihaut River Wall in Dominica is progressing rapidly with the critical project aiming to enhance climate resilience and protect the community from flooding. Through this project, the government underscores its commitment to provide sustainable infrastructure that prioritizes safety and the well-being of the people.  

The government of Dominica signed the $897,669.30 contract for the construction of the much-needed sea wall in Colihaut in October 2024. 

While sharing the update on the overall progress of the project, Parliamentary Representative Daren Pinard said that the construction is at the second stage. He added that the workers are actually dung on the riverbed where they have laid down the tools and are doing the necessary foundation work to erect the wall that will give the workers the protection that is required during the next phase.  

Calling the progress ‘rapid’ and ‘very nice’, Pinard said that this is all due to the preparation which was made beforehand so by the time the workers came down here, they did not have much time to waste, and they got things going.  

“I am very pleased with the progress thus far and so on things are progressing nicely and the construction is on schedule,” said Pinard. According to him, it is being expected that the locals will have full protection and a nice wall to be completed before the hurricane season 2025.  

The Parliamentary Representative talked about the significant impact of the project on the locals and said that they will rest much more peacefully during the next hurricane season and when they have heavy rains, they will not have to worry about the water flowing out of the river.  

“With the river wall and what they expected to achieve, I think people can rest peacefully in their bed despite the hurricane and the flooding, because when that wall is completed, I think we will be all satisfied that this will give us the protection that we need so we can all rest peacefully and secure,” he added. 

He further noted that the sea defense walls from Portsmouth of Capuchin had to be built because the sea is coming more and more into the land, making it dangerous for the locals during the hurricane season.  

Upon completion, the locals will feel more confident about the fact that they don’t need to worry now about their homes being washed away and can sleep peacefully at their homes even during inclement weather conditions.