Dangriga Mayor Shares Story of Coastal Erosion and Climate Change

Robert Mariano

Also addressing the gathering was Mayor Robert Mariano who grew up in Dangriga and has witnessed, firsthand, the effects of climate change on town’s coastline.

Robert Mariano, Mayor, Dangriga

“For you who are here from other parts of the country, I’d like to invite you to walk on our coast here in Dangriga and see the impact that we are facing at this time because of climate change.  As a matter of fact, I walked my coast this morning and noticed that somewhere in front of Social Security, the sea has actually come in, so we’re having some erosion by at least one foot just over the past month because of the consistent rains.  We’ve had a lot of rains over the past two weeks and so whenever it rains, the sea raises.  But we notice that whenever we’re in the dry season, the sea comes down.  But if you look at the North Stann Creek River, the North Stann Creek River comes all the way from the west and so when it rains in the west, it brings all that water into our coast as well.  Recently, about two years ago, we had some Cuban specialists who came to Dangriga and investigated what exactly is happening here in Dangriga because of the heavy erosion.  As a matter of fact, if you go near the Anglican School, you will notice that we have lost something close to two hundred feet.  There was a school which is actually inside the water now, but unless it is calm you can see the foundation inside the sea.  So we are having a heavy impact when it comes to climate change, and so we as a people need to do something and work together to fix it.”