Our last update before delivering this petition.
Jolly Beach Petition – Nearly 4,000 Signatures and Our Next Steps
Our petition is coming to a close, but our fight for public beach access is far from over.
Nearly 4,000 people have now signed our Change.org petition calling on Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his government to protect and restore proper public access and parking at Jolly Beach.
This is one of Antigua's widest and most beautiful beaches, and its extraordinary width is no accident.
When V.C. Bird facilitated the sale of the lands behind Jolly Beach to a Swiss developer decades ago, a substantial setback from the high-water mark was deliberately preserved for the enjoyment of the people of Antigua and Barbuda and our visitors. The beach and its generous public space were part of the original vision for the development.
Unfortunately, successive recent decisions have allowed wealthy investors and developers to remove almost all of the traditional public parking and make access to this magnificent beach unnecessarily difficult.
Tomorrow, we intend to print and formally deliver our petition to the Prime Minister.
Despite almost 4,000 signatures, we have received no official response to the petition from the government, the developers, Nikki Beach or Jolly Harbour management.
However, there have been some encouraging developments.
We have received confirmation that the government is considering purchasing land near the Coco's end of Jolly Beach to provide public parking. During the past week, there have also been efforts to remove some access barriers in the South Beach/Jolly Harbour area. As you may remember it was one of these chained and blocked access points that emergency medical services could not pass through when they attempted to rescue Claudius Richards who was dying right in the middle of this beach. We actually buried Claudius before this blocked access was remedied.
We welcome these developments, but there has been little meaningful improvement in parking at the Jolly Harbour end of the beach.
Access without practical parking is not meaningful public access so please do not be fooled by real estate agents who are still rabid in their attempt to say all is okay while they sell to the next person. All is not okay.
We need permanent solutions, public consultation and guarantees that access cannot simply be taken away again when another property changes hands.
Our Beaches, Our Land, Our Future – Peaceful Gatherings During CHOGM
As Antigua and Barbuda welcomes Commonwealth leaders, including King Charles III, a lifelong champion of sustainable development and Environmental conservation, citizens and environmental advocates are organizing peaceful gatherings to draw attention to the future of our natural heritage.
The Daily Observer recently reported on the initiative, Reflections of a Nation: Our Land. Our Sea. Our Future, which will highlight responsible development, marine conservation, public beach access and government accountability.
Three gatherings are being planned:
Monday, November 2 – Rising Sun Grounds, St. John's
Focusing on responsible land-use planning, protection of community spaces, transparency and accountability in development decisions. The development and Control Authority is our peoples department of check and balances and despite that seems to be under direct supervision and control of the prime minister. Laws are broken and nothing is done. In fact we are seeing that permissions are being given by the DCA to develop those conducting improper activity.
Tuesday, November 3 – Barnacle Point and Peace Beach
Focusing on marine conservation, environmental laws and concerns about illegal dredging and development in the North East Marine Management Area.
Wednesday, November 4 – Jolly Harbour and Jolly Beach
Focusing on public beach access, coastal rights, parking and emergency access to our beaches.
The gatherings are intended to be peaceful, respectful and symbolic. Participants are encouraged to wear white, perhaps with turquoise accents, and some organizers have proposed using mirrors to symbolize reflection and accountability.
For our South Beach, Harbour supporters, we invite you to meet at Sandra's Beach Bar on Wednesday, November 4, from approximately 3:30 p.m.
We hope to enjoy an afternoon together on the beach and perhaps take a peaceful sunset walk dressed in white, demonstrating our shared commitment to keeping Antigua's beaches accessible to EVERYONE.
Please note that some of the wider gathering arrangements remain subject to confirmation.
You can read more in the Daily Observer article, "Environmental protest planned at three sites during CHOGM," published October 29.
There is also a WhatsApp community where information about the gatherings is being shared. Please visit the Antigua Conservation Society Facebook page for more information about joining the community and receiving updates on the arrangements.
https://chat.whatsapp.com/LHywQMfhBqoBDissU90kt0
We encourage everyone who signed this petition to share this information with friends, family and neighbours.
This movement is not against tourism or investment. We recognize the importance of both to our economy. But development must respect our laws, our environment, our communities and the rights of future generations.
Antigua and Barbuda cannot continue promoting its beaches as some of the finest in the world while making them increasingly difficult for its own citizens to enjoy.
To everyone who signed, shared and supported this petition, thank you. Almost 4,000 signatures represent a powerful public message, and we hope the Prime Minister and his government will respond constructively.
Our beaches are not simply real estate opportunities. They are our heritage, our national identity and our children's inheritance.
The petition may be ending, but the responsibility to protect our coastline continues.
See you at South Beach, Jolly on Wednesday.
Our land. Our sea. Our future.