Territorial At-Large Representative Honourable Stacy M. Mather (AL) has issued a firm statement on the controversy over proposed access restrictions at The Baths, insisting that Virgin Islanders’ beach access must not be bargained away even as the National Parks Trust (NPT) seeks sustainable funding to protect national park assets. Photo: Facebook

The dispute intensified after the NPT confirmed it was in advanced negotiations with an unnamed international luxury cruise operator for reserved access to The Baths and Devil’s Bay on nine mornings during the upcoming peak season. Under the proposal, general public access would have been restricted from 9 a.m. to noon on those days, with fewer than 150 cruise clients permitted on site before normal access resumed at midday. Photo: VINO

The National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands (NPT) had said it is in advanced negotiations with an unnamed cruise line to reserve access to The Baths and Devil’s Bay on nine mornings during the peak tourism season, with public access restricted from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Negotiations have since been halted due to public backlash. Photo: NPT

The dispute intensified after the NPT confirmed it was in advanced negotiations with an unnamed international luxury cruise operator for reserved access to The Baths and Devil’s Bay on nine mornings during the upcoming peak season. Under the proposal, general public access would have been restricted from 9:00 AM to noon on those days, with fewer than 150 cruise clients permitted on site before normal access resumed at midday. 

In a video statement on Facebook, Hon Mather stated, “All beaches belong to the people, and I will not support any arrangement that removes or unnecessarily restricts Virgin Islander's rights to access them.” He added that “access and conservation must go hand in hand,” insisting that keeping beaches accessible “does not mean leaving them unprotected.”

He added, “All responsibility is to ensure that our people can enjoy these treasures today, while preserving them for generations to come.”

The Baths is 'more than a tourism attraction'

Describing The Baths as “more than a tourism attraction,” Hon Mather said it is “our Virgin Gorda part of our heritage, part of our identity."

While noting that the specific proposal has been halted, Hon Mather argued that the conversation must continue around two core questions: how to protect The Baths while preserving public access, and how to fund the National Parks Trust to do its job sustainably. He said he has consistently advocated in the Standing Finance Committee for long-delayed legislation to strengthen the Trust and give it effective operational tools, and that the Trust should be empowered to generate appropriate revenue from protected national park assets.

Hon Mather said: “We should not stop the conversation.” Instead, he said the focus must shift to “the real questions: How do we protect the baths while preserving public access? And how do we sustainably fund the National Parks Trust to protect our national treasures?”

He warned, “We cannot demand world-class conservation without being prepared to fund it.” Since taking his seat in the House of Assembly, he said he has “consistently advocated, during Standing Finance Committee discussions, for the long-delayed legislation needed to strengthen the trust and give it the tools to operate effectively.”

Hon Mather said he believes the trust should be empowered to generate appropriate revenue from protected national park assets. Citing the RMS Rhone, he noted that “commercial operators benefit from taking visitors to this well-renowned, protected dive site,” and that “a reasonable commercial fee structure could allow some of that economic activity to contribute directly to its protection and management.” he stressed: “That is very different from telling a Virgin Islander that he or she cannot go to the beach.”

'My position is straightforward'

Hon Mather said he supports reasonable conservation fees, commercial user fees, and stronger management where appropriate; however, he does not support selling away, bargaining away, or unnecessarily restricting our people's access to their beaches.

He added that “preservation requires more than money. It requires education and personal responsibility,” pointing to “careless anchoring, littering, and unmanaged visitor activity” that can “destroy in minutes what nature took generations to create.”

Calling for a culture of stewardship, he said, “We must educate our visitors. We must also educate ourselves and our children. When all young people learn to swim, dive, fish, and appreciate our marine environments, they develop a connection to what we are asking them to protect,” Hon Mather said.

'These islands are an inheritance'

The legislator also made a direct appeal to the public and policymakers, stating, “My position is firm. Our beaches must remain accessible. The baths must be protected, and the National Parks Trust must be properly equipped and sustainably funded to do its job. This should never become a choice between our people and preservation.” 

He added: “Access is our right. Conservation is our responsibility, and protecting these islands for the next generation must become our common purpose. These islands are an inheritance; let's make sure they remain an inheritance for those who come after us.” 

His remarks come as the government reviews the exclusive-access proposal and public debate continues over how best to balance tourism revenue, environmental protection and guaranteed resident access to iconic sites like The Baths.