Denying access to beaches must be condemned- Hon Pickering
On January 11, 2017 this news site first and accurately reported that a Manager of the Sugar Mill Hotel in Little Apple Bay on the main island of Tortola was being accused of attempting to force a local family off the beach there but was met with strong resistance, which almost turned violent.
It was on Saturday January 7, 2017 that a local family was also allegedly asked to leave a certain beach area on Peter Island. The family from Jost Van Dyke told this news site they went to the island with a private boat and was subsequently approached by a manager of the Peter Island Resort who allegedly being told they had to move to another area.
“There is a difficult and thorny issue we have to confront, whether we like it or not, this increasing difficulty that is being created where some people think that they can monopolise beaches and tell others what to do and not to do on the beaches.
“There is a major issue. The beaches are public and we continue to publicise that. The Planning Act [of 2004] clearly states that all beaches in the BVI are public,” Hon Pickering stated during his contribution to the Appropriation Act of 2017 in the House of Assembly today, March 1, 2017.
“It needs to be debated in the public space, and that is this issue of the beach that is public. What authority does any individual or organisation have to place their furniture on the beach and then dictate how it can be used or not used.”
Legal opinion being sought
According to Hon Pickering, Government has asked for legal opinion on the issue of persons placing their furniture on beaches and denying use by others. “We are waiting on it. It is obviously a very difficult issue that has to be resolved, but it needs to be debated because it is creating an unnecessary disharmonious community.”
The Deputy Premier said his ministry continues to receive complaints of local persons being denied access to beaches in the territory and reiterated this issue needs to be resolved.
“We [are] getting complaints all the time of locals going to the beach and people telling them they can’t use the beach. That must not happen. It must be condemned in all forms, it must not happen, and we will do whatever is necessary to ensure that any individual or organisation that is breaching it will have to be dealt with according to the highest authority and if necessary brought before the law to pay penalties, because beaches are public and they are there for anybody to enjoy, and we can exist and co-exist, and there need not be any rancour and difficulties on these issues, Madam Speaker,” Hon Pickering concluded.
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46 Responses to “Denying access to beaches must be condemned- Hon Pickering”
As usual you people don't read and understand. Access is one thing. But what type of access is another. That's the issue at hand. As a Virgin Islander I demand access to any beach in the Virgin Islands, but that does not mean I can have a big party on that beach if it is close to a private resort, or occupy all of their beach chairs freely. You people need to learn to be objective in your thinking.
All in a sudden these people have gotten so emboldened because they have the NDP wrapped tight around their fingers, so they feel they can do anything they want and get away with it.
That happens whenever they give you'll favours and indirectly they expect something back in return.
Now you have to seek legal counsel because you don't want them to think that the decisions come from you'll.
Nevertheless, you'll better do something before they mess with the wrong people and all hell broke loose on one of our beaches. People patience is shrinking fast these days.
Question: should the citizens of the Virgin Islands who license these operations through their government be denied access to their beaches by these businesses?
I agree that all beaches should be public and open to all people. No debate.
What the &%$@ is there to debate!
are public in public and private in private, not good dude.
Also, beach users, remember to respect the environment. Take your garbage away and respect other beach users. Keep your noise down.
ONE THING TO SAY! Remember Fountain Valley in St Croix and then you will know the rest of the story!!!!!!!