Adrian Gibson

First published in The Tribune on Friday, November 13, 2009 under the byline, Young Man's View.

IN the Bahamas, particularly on New Providence, locals continue to be prohibited from accessing public beaches by over zealous property owners who illegally obstruct public access points by using guard dogs, erecting walls/large seawalls, fences, constructing artificial lagoons and using shrub borders or boulders.

It is likely that a reason for the skyrocketing crime rate is the lack of beach access and unavailability of other cultural and recreational activities that can foster an interaction with nature and undoubtedly contribute to the socialization of many of the armed and/or anti-social misfits roaming the streets. On public holidays, the dwindling number of beaches stands out even more as thousands of locals are confined to Goodman's Bay, Montagu Beach, Arawak Cay and, to a much lesser extent, Cabbage Beach and the secluded but rocky beach at Orange Hill (one I frequent). The overcrowding on these days is evident.

The lack of access to beaches in the Bahamas is so objectionable that former Prime Minister Perry Christie's administration actually repurchased twelve acres of beachfront property on Harbour Island. At that time, Mr Christie asserted that access to beaches by Bahamians should not be sacrificed in the name of development. While I could point to some obvious hypocrisy between that administration's dealings with certain developers and in that statement, today I won't. However, beaches should also not be lawlessly annexed by selfish, rather bold land grabbers!

Beaches are a part of the Bahamian way of life. Anyone who has seen Bahamian children playing in the clear water, or experienced the excitement of a regatta, or enjoyed Bahamian music and food at a seaside festival, knows that beaches and coastlines have a social value that cannot be counted in dollars and cents. They are priceless national treasures, endowments that belong to every Bahamian, whatever his or her age or social condition.

In New Providence, the most obvious examples of where access onto and along beaches have been restricted are at Delaporte and Cable Beach, particularly by the Sandy Port canal and after the construction of the Crystal Palace hotel. Other beaches in Nassau and on Paradise Island have also been blocked off to the public due to development.

In southwestern New Providence, although the developers of Adelaide claim that their project would create more beach access for locals, official documents showing the marina channel cutting through the beach reveal that access will be restricted and be minimal at best. The public will no longer have full access along the beach by the marina channels.

While consecutive governments give environmental protection as a priority for the protection of beaches and the preservation of the Bahamas' natural resources, more than 40 beach access points continue to be restricted. There must be stiffer penalties for illegal dumping and excavation and for those persons who illegally encroach upon and blatantly impede public access points to beaches. It is unacceptable when foreign/local developers and homeowners deny the community access to the entire length of public beaches.

Aisha Martin, daughter of Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin, and a student in a geography class I lecture at the College of the Bahamas eloquently and thoughtfully addressed the question of beach access in a letter she wrote in completing an assignment, which, with her permission, will be featured below.

Ms Martin writes:

Dear Madam Editor,

In the course of preparing a paper I have become sufficiently outraged and feel it necessary to raise this issue publicly through your newspaper.

We are an island nation with limited natural resources but what we do have are beautiful beaches which are the selling point for the main section of our economy, tourism. I am very disappointed that it seems to have been overlooked that Bahamians wish to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of our country as well as the tourists. In the recent past we have engaged in a frenzy of sales and giveaways of our beautiful beachfront properties to foreign nationals. Some of these people have become so presumptuous in the enjoyment of their property that they seek to prohibit people from accessing beaches.

The situation has become so vexing that it is difficult in New Providence to even glimpse the sea as our coast is now marked by high walls. This reflects unfavourably on policy makers in successive governments who have through their short sightedness, negatively impacted the quality of life for our people. We can certainly take a page out of the experience of Barbados where it is not permitted for the beach to be privately owned past the high water mark. In Barbados many of the beachfront properties must allow a public access point across their land to ensure that the public has access to all beaches. The Government of the Bahamas should be enhancing beaches and protecting public access so that Bahamians can enjoy a cost free and healthy experience of nature's beauty because is it not what we have been blessed with in abundance?

Beach access is the birthright of every Bahamian, allowing beaches to be blocked illegally by property owners is a violation of this basic birthright. We should not allow foreigners or anyone else to bar our people from accessing the beaches in New Providence. Rather than turning this island of New Providence into an exclusive island resort for the sole enjoyment of foreigners, we should invest in preserving and enhancing the quality of life of our Bahamian people.

A concerned COB student,

Aisha Martin.

I am always impressed when I have students, or meet people, who are serious about the future of their country and who are willing to demand that we protect and preserve our resources–within reason–for future generations. Ensuring that local beaches are accessible to the public is a must!

TAKING A BRIEF LEAVE!

As most of my readers already know, I am presently enrolled in law school. The study of law is quite tedious, time-consuming and has a high threshold for attainment of good grades. I have literally been reading almost non-stop.

Law is a jealous mistress, and since I don't intend to fail in my courtship of lady law, I will totally direct my attention on studying and preparing for fast approaching examinations. In that vein, I will put down the pen until after exams, and thereafter resume writing my column where I will unquestionably return with many "Christmas gifts" as I'm sure that much will transpire during my sabbatical. I shall be watching from the sidelines and making mental notes.