Jamaican beach access campaigners go to court to fight privatisation of coast
Summary
Campaigners in Jamaica are taking the government to court to stop it from limiting public access to several beaches. They say privatizing these beaches benefits big hotel companies and tourists but hurts local people who rely on the sea for food, work, and recreation.Key Facts
- The campaign is led by Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement (Jabbem), formed in 2020 after protests against beach closures.
- Five court cases will address beach privatization at Mammee Bay, Little Dunn’s River, Blue Lagoon, Bob Marley beach, and Flankers/Providence beach.
- The campaigners want to end the 1956 Beach Control Act that requires government permission for beach use, a law made when Jamaica was a British colony.
- They argue the law supports a tourism industry that mainly benefits wealthy investors and foreign companies, not local communities.
- Many locals, including fishermen and craft sellers, report their livelihoods are harmed by limited beach access.
- The government says tourism supports over 100,000 jobs and benefits more than 10% of the population through related industries.
- Recent developments have included requirements for public beach access corridors, but campaigners feel proposed policies still restrict true public rights.
- The Prime Minister has proposed a new beach access policy, but campaigners say it falls short by allowing developers to control beach access through licenses.
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