PUBLIC ACCESS FIGHT

Last month, residents in Barbados’ rural St. Joseph Parish publicly railed against a hotel developer for constructing edifices that would have blocked their decades old access to a nearby waterway and other public spaces.

Normally, Bajans would be complaining about large hotels, which often use very creative means to operate private beaches for their guests but this time it had to do with inland facilities rather than coastal beaches as had been the case with previous clashes between the hospitality sector and residents.

Attorney General and parish parliamentary representative Dale Marshall said this week that the months old row is nearing an end following several rounds of talks with Ullswater Investments Limited. Ullswater had been accused of building huge concrete columns in such a way that these had only served to block public access to a nearby water way and other facilities. Marshall says talks have been fruitful and the issue could be soon resolved to the satisfaction of residents of St. Joseph’s. The parish is in the center-east of the 166 square mile Eastern Caribbean island.

“That is very near to settlement. We’ve had a number of meetings with the developer. I think now that they have put forward a proposal, the community has to buy into it, but I think that there is an element of give and take on both sides. We value development, but we also have to value our heritage rights, and sometimes there is a challenge because one seems often to be in conflict with the other,” AG Marshall told reporters.

So upset were the residents that they had summoned national cultural icon, ‘The Mighty Gabby’ to lead the fight against the developer. In doing so the issue quickly and easily gained national attention.

Gabby had become famous for composing a catch Soca piece called “Jack” which had roundly condemned the hotel sector for trying to create private beaches mostly for white skinned guests, blocking out native Barbadians from accessing and enjoying them. Barbados and several Caribbean islands have repeatedly made it clear that private beaches will not be tolerated regardless of the amount they an investing in the local economy. St. Lucians had also summoned Gabby to the island nearly two decades ago to also beat back an attempt to operate private beaches on the island.

“I think by reaching an amicable settlement with Joe’s River, it will demonstrate that progress and history don’t have to be in conflict,” Marshall said.

Just last month, Land and Works Minister Maria Browne reiterated the national position after a luxury homes developer had attempted to restrict the public from accessing nearby beaches at Pearns Point.