Barbados private beaches, public spaces

You would think that Barbados had long solved the problem linked to private hoteliers and developers setting up private beaches or public spaces, restricting ordinary Barbadians from accessing them in the regional tourism paradise.

This issue has flared several times in the last 40 years, none more so than when Cultural Ambassador and entertainer The Mighty Gabby had led national protests in the 80s with his hit song and unofficial second national anthem “Jack” as he had lambasted efforts by hotels to create private beach spaces, shutting out locals back then.

Now the issue is once again taking center stage with residents in the rural St. Joseph’s parish asking Anthony Gabby Carter, 74, to take the lead in their fight with the owners or controllers of Edgewater Hotel. Local media say that the new Australian developers, Ullswater, recently moved to build a wall that would have significantly restricted access to a small river and popular public space, frequented by residents. Restricting access to public spaces, be it a beach, river or open space is not allowed in the Eastern Caribbean island of about 350,000 but this has not gotten in the way of several strident efforts by various hoteliers to force such on Bajans.

The residents who have appealed to the Mia Mottley administration, Gabby and other officials for help want the hotel to remove concrete columns now being erected because they block access to the beach and a small gully river in the parish. The group has until March 19 to dismantle the structures.

Following objections from residents, there are indications that the hotel will, after all, engage residents. Gabby says the hotel will not be allowed to have its way.

“This is just foolishness again. So we have had enough and we are saying to the authorities, including the town and country planning people, you are wrong and you are wrong and strong, but this time you cannot prolong because we are coming down with power. And when I tell you with power, all the residents of St Joseph and adjacent parishes will come with power and stop this foolishness from occurring. This cannot happen,” the Today online newspaper quoted him as saying this week.

Gabby is so highly regarded in this area of activism that St. Lucians had sought his help and had used his much heralded theme song in August 2020 to successfully rally against a western developer from blocking access to the Cas en Bas Beach.

In an editorial on the issue that ran alongside a spot news story on the row, the paper stated that residents appear to be resolute and firm in their opposition to the hotel.

“The conflict between investment and access to traditional public spaces by Barbadians has played out in very unpleasant ways on several occasions. Sentiment appears to be on their side because Barbadians have been down this road before on many occasions. Without resorting to blocking roads or threatening harm to anyone, the residents have kept up the public pressure. Whether it was the Sandals war of words over access to the south coast beach, or at Accra where southern residents felt a planned development would deny them access to the popular beachfront area, or the debacle over the construction of a bar that is literally on the narrowest of beaches at Fitts Village, St. James, the story is the same.”