Developers halted as they block beach access

VILLA developers at Sapodilla Bay were told to drop tools on Thursday (June 25) as their work began to encroach on public land.

Deputy Speaker Hon. Dwayne Taylor visited the site with experts from the Planning Department and asked them to halt construction work pending a review.

The visit came following complaints from residents on social media that the beach access was being compromised.

Public access to TCI’s beaches is a matter of much contention, as developers are often found to be blocking the footpaths.

Last year residents complained when mounds of quarry barred the only access to Babalua Beach located on the west side of Turtle Cove.

While in 2018, there was a heated confrontation on Taylor Bay over public beach access.

Following this, the Government committed to conducting an assessment of beaches across the TCI to distinguish public access.

Minister of Tourism Hon. Ralph Higgs said the Government would be releasing a report of that assessment which will identify clearly all beach accesses.

“We’ll identify those which are suitable for any sort of development and we will earmark some that will not be subjected to any commercial development,” he said.

Since the Government assumed office, a moratorium was placed on further development and removal of beach accesses.

The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) urged anyone obstructing public beach access to cease such actions.

It said anyone contravening the above will be charged to full extent of the law.