The vexed issue of Jamaicans and their beaches

petchary

April 1

Some beaches in Jamaica are off limits to its citizens. Correction: many beaches. This is a fact. The issue of beach access remains a sore point for many Jamaicans; I have a feeling it will never be resolved to everyone's satisfaction, because so many beaches are actually reserved for tourists - and for Jamaicans who can afford to go to all-inclusive hotels. They might also be the exclusive domain of well-off people with villas. This is particularly true of the north coast. It would be hypocritical of me to say that I have not enjoyed some of these beaches, myself. Full disclosure.

In tourist resorts like Negril, some kind of informal system exists, whereby "acceptable" Jamaicans, if well behaved, are allowed to walk up and down and sell their products, fraternising with visitors. I don't really know how it works. All I know is that I have seen Jamaicans being literally chased off tourist beaches by security guards and the police.

In some cases (such as a former public beach, Puerto Seco in St. Ann - which calls itself a "reclaimed oasis") Jamaicans can enjoy the beach, but they have to pay an entrance fee, and/or buy food and drink when they get in, and are not allowed to bring their own refreshments. The same goes for Frenchman's Cove in Portland - which still gets very crowded and is not particularly safe for swimmers.

Two years ago, our Prime Minister announced that designated public beaches were to be upgraded (at the time he was, ironically, breaking ground for another foreign-owned all-inclusive whose beach would not be available to the public). The 16-acre Harmony Beach Park in Montego Bay was officially opened in 2021 and it is free and has received favourable reviews.

When they are "upgraded" these beaches become "beach parks." So much more than the natural sea and sand; they are humanised beaches, with "facilities. At Harmony Beach Park, the beach itself is only available five days a week and works nine to five, like an office. I am not sure how that works. The very small Fantasy Beach in the congested little town of Priory, St. Ann will be a "park." The highly eroded Boston Beach in Portland is also to become a "park," and also there will be one in Negril. In total, some nine beaches will be "upgraded" in the coming year.

A view from Winnifred's Beach. I hope its natural beauty can be preserved. (My photo)

Of course, as so often happens, the issue of beach access is a complex one and not all "black and white." The fact is that some public beaches have been badly treated by the public themselves. A case in point is the lovely Winnifred's Beach in Portland - one of those on the list for upgrading - which has been somewhat overrun with small shacks selling food etc. There were always a few; now there are more. This is sad, as I know efforts have been made to manage it well. What happened?

Beaches in Jamaica, whether public or private, are places where people want to make money from those anxious for some sea air, sunshine and relaxation. And they can so easily get spoilt. Hustling and harassment on beaches remains an issue in some places - and this leads to the whole issue of inequality and poverty.

It seems that sometimes all the social issues plaguing Jamaica play themselves out on a beach, if you are observant. On private beaches, you see some people showing off their latest swimwear (and their figures) with no intention of going in the water; they are there to impress, and draw attention to themselves, and perhaps their comparative wealth. On public beaches, you see family rivalries and friends' conflicts at play.

Critically, public beaches must be well maintained, after they have been upgraded. It is often said that we are not good at maintaining places. They must be kept clean and safe with all due respect to the environment. If I don't feel comfortable on a particular beach, I don't return. Public beaches should be a part of the community, and cared for.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister has announced that the Government's Beach Access and Management Policy will be tabled shortly in the House of Representatives. Next week, perhaps? I am not sure. On March 21, PM Holness stated, according to the Jamaica Gleaner:

"Jamaicans are entitled to access their beaches...There is one thing to speak about access. There is another thing to actually enable access. We believe everybody must get access. They give their words; we give you the beach. Some people talk about beach access, we give you beach access."

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, March 2024

I am not sure who "they" or "some people" are in this context. Perhaps the PM was referring to the St. Ann-based lobby group Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement (JaBBEM) - which currently has two cases in court, over access rights to the Blue Lagoon and Bob Marley Beach. Please see JaBBEM's latest comments, below and its petition for Bob Marley Beach here. Note: the Blue Lagoon case has been set to continue on June 17 in Portland, with some talk about "mediation."

The Marking Stone Beach in Annotto Bay St. Mary was officially opened to the public in 2018. The beach was upgraded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) at a cost of $38.3 million. (Photo: Twitter)

I have not heard the latest on Bob Marley Beach (JaBBEM's petition and some more detailed background information on that one can be found here). Back in 2022, when concerns were raised, the developer reportedly told the Jamaica Gleaner:

"This is not about access to the beach. That is a very small point. The larger point is that that community is filled with crime, murders, and if you take a look at what we suggested to the Government, it's a significant upgrade of that community."

Donovan Reid, The Woof Group, Jamaica Gleaner, October 28, 2022

Beach Access Rights for the Blue Lagoon and Bob Marley Beaches Continue in the Court

On Monday, March 25th and Thursday March 28th, 2024, the cases to protect continued public beach access rights to the Blue Lagoon and Bob Marley Beach (BMB) will resume in the Portland Parish Court and the Kingston Sutton Street Court, respectively. These cases continue to highlight the continued threat to fundamental public access rights to Jamaican beaches. Despite the most recent promises by the Government of Jamaica (GoJ) that Jamaicans must have access to their beaches, the threat of beach access loss remains high. In fact, statutory bodies of the GoJ, namely the Commissioner of Lands and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, are listed as defendants in the BMB and Blue Lagoon cases respectively in addition to private interests. This further highlights the complicity of the GoJ in public beach access restriction.

While the GoJ boasts that there are over 60 accessible public beaches islandwide, this only represents a mere three (3) miles or 0.6% of access in comparison to the 494 miles of coastline. This is nothing to celebrate in the 21st century as a sovereign country. The government is the major landowner of coastal properties and can easily remedy this problem.

JaBBEM is concerned about the government's inability to decolonize, conserve and democratize the Jamaican coastline, and sees it as an injustice that communities have to seek legal action in the courts to protect continued access to the nation's beaches. We call for nothing less than the enactment of legislation that guarantees the Jamaican people general and unfettered rights (with constitutional protection) to access all beaches and rivers, which are parts of our ecological heritage.

Dr. Devon Taylor, President of JaBBEM, JaBBEM.org.