Tourism minister rejects beach access claim

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has rejected claims that only one per cent of Jamaica’s beaches are accessible to the public.

Speaking during the annual Artisan Village Food Festival in Falmouth, Trelawny on Independence Day, he acknowledged that there may be challenges with access to some individual beaches, but cautioned against using isolated cases to characterise the state of beach access across the country.

“We may have issues with an area. We may have an issue with an owner here … we may have an issue with a process there. [However], we must not make the world define Jamaica as a country that denies its population … access, because … it’s not true,” Bartlett emphasised, adding “we can deal with issues that we have.” He indicated that Jamaica has 70 public beaches, 60 of which have been upgraded in recent years. He further pointed out that only 10 of these are commercially operated, with just five requiring the payment of an entry fee.

He noted that while Jamaica boasts approximately 2,200 kilometres of coastline, only a portion is suitable for traditional beach and swimming activities.

“When … you do the geotechnical work, you will find that only 29 per cent of that represent areas with any sand or anything … [and] only 22 per cent of all of that area, too, is possible for swimming and beach activities,” Bartlett stated.

Bartlett said the Government will continue to enhance public beaches, with a focus on expanding infrastructure and strengthening environmental management measures. He said that the objective is to ensure Jamaicans have access to well-maintained recreational spaces, while safeguarding the country’s coastal environment. He also acknowledged that further improvements are needed, and called for greater collaboration among stakeholders to address existing challenges and enhance the quality of the country’s public beaches.

“Help us with that discussion and help us with the resources so to do, as well, and it will be a contribution that we will be making to the development of our country,” Bartlett stated.