Minister Edghill assures Charity residents: ‘Government will do nothing to harm lives’

Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill has assured residents of Charity that no government development initiative will put lives or livelihoods at risk, amid growing concerns over the construction of a new $880 million multi-purpose wharf.

Speaking during a community engagement on Wednesday, Minister Edghill addressed concerns raised by 130 residents who petitioned to halt the project until comprehensive riverbank revetment works are carried out.

“A wharf is not a luxury here, it is a necessity,” Minister Edghill said. “We would like to give you the assurance that the government is not going to build a wharf that is going to put people’s lives at risk.”

Residents fear the construction may exacerbate erosion or threaten the integrity of the riverbank.

In response, the minister said the one-kilometre stretch from the burial ground to the high bridge is under active consideration for revetment works.

He noted that the government is currently seeking funding from the European Union to undertake that phase of the project.

Minister Edghill was accompanied by engineers from the ministry’s Sea and River Defence Board, as well as the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj.

Ministry engineers provided technical details of the project, explaining that geotechnical studies—including borehole tests reaching depths of over 140 feet—had been conducted, alongside bathymetric surveys of the riverbed.

According to the team, findings confirm that the selected site offers sufficient structural stability.

They also said engineering assessments indicate that the area already has adequate revetment and that construction would not destabilise the riverbank.

Test piles of approximately 150 feet in length will be driven to assess the soil’s load-bearing capacity before full-scale construction begins.

Minister Edghill further assured residents that pile driving and the movement of heavy equipment will be conducted entirely from barges on the river, not from the river dam.

“The wharf that is being built is not going to be pulling on the land,” he said. “It is a platform that is separate and distinct. All the weight load on that will be separate from the road and the dam.” 

He reiterated that every phase of the project will be closely monitored to ensure safety.

When completed, the minister said the wharf is expected to enhance regional commerce and connectivity in line with the government’s development agenda.