SOURCE Real News:
No such thing as a ‘private’ beach, Symister says, noting that all residents have the ‘right’ to access, according to 1999 law
As the debate rages on about the lack of public access to the Nation’s beaches, attorney Leon Chaku Symister says that a radical change – demonstrated by people taking a stand – is required to end this worrisome issue.
As he recalls recent reports that a chain had been put in place to restrict access to the beach at Dickenson Bay, Symister says an administration was not put in place to encourage
homeowners and hoteliers to limit citizens’ access to beaches.
What is taking place under the Browne Administration was not tolerated under the United Progressive Party (UPP) Government, Symister says, and this was demonstrated when a former minister removed the barrier from a private property that was preventing
locals from accessing a beach.
Symister, the UPP spokesperson on legal matters, says the people must take stronger action to ensure their rights are not trampled on and to preserve their right to beach access.
He notes, too, that the designation of “private beachfront properties” does not override locals’ right of access to the beach.
Citizens and residents of this country have the “right” of access, the attorney declares, since there is no such thing as a private beach from which the public can be excluded.
That right of access is contained in the Development Control Act of 1999, he notes.
Meanwhile, Symister says that every police officer should understand that no land-owner can prevent the public frombaccessing the beach.
Further, he says that the alternative – changing the route by which people access the beach – is wrong. A prior access point cannot now be turned into a foot path, he says, and calls the idea “nonsensical.”
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You are correct Mr. Symister, there is a law in place to negate the white man privatizing our beaches, but Antiguans are cowards. They just sit at home and cower, even when their eyes are being poked out. They suffer in silence mostly, afraid of victimization. My history teacher told us Antiguans historically are well-behaved slaves. Nothing has changed in nearly 200 years.
Of course, this Gaston Browne led ALP are corrupt and greedy and will sell their souls(assuming they have a soul) for a circle of tainted gold.
Hope we can rid the country of this scourge then proceed to destroy all barriers that restrict citizens access to beaches
Gone are the days when I am told a group of men went up to a beach and ripped up the fence that a property owner put across the beach to deny access to the locals. I tell you no fight left in Antiguans.
This is the result when politicians find themselves in the pockets of affluent persons. In 2022, the proprietor of several hotels on the island embarked on erecting a restaurant on Long Bay Beach . Residents protested the proximity of the structure to the high-water mark, to which the business owner ignored. The dispute eventually reached the Prime Minister who went on radio to declare that he was going to have a stop order iniated; instead, the gentleman was knighted during the independence celebrations. These government officials are totally responsible for what’s happening and will eventually happen in our country.
I visited antigua during this past summer and had so much trouble trying to get to valley church beach, it seems to me that that beach is private the owners of that establishment makes it extremely difficult to access the beach and to me it seems deliberate.
The politicians are totally responsible for the power they give to the foreigners when they come into our country.. shame!!
While I commend Mr Symister for reminding the public what is the law regarding beach access; the status quo will remain the same.
The GOAB has no interest in enforcing the law; and the white property owners are aware of that fact that Antiguan males has no balls.
The GOAB philosphy is that what the white folks want is best for the economy; and there are other besches available for the locals.
Only in Barbuda the fences get bulldozed down, and in other situations legal actions are being taken.
On Antigua the spineless complain and argue behind closed doors, the GOAB and the ABLP don’t care; so the white owners do what they want, and break the law with impunity.
Sorry to say Mr. Symister; in spite of your noble intentions, as far as the GOAB is concern the law you cited is meaningless.
PA PA V.C BIRD Father of the Nation of Antigua of and Barbuda …ALP pushed down the Fence at
Jolly Beach when they tried to Deny Antiguans 🇦🇬🇦🇬 acess to the Beach, former UPP Member of Parliament Chanlah Codrington at night Viewed on National ABS T.V used a Backhoe and pushed down the Fence at Pearnt point Beach for Antiguans 🇦🇬🇦🇬 to have Acess to the Beach….wait! THEY DID NOT LEARN THEIR “LESSON” or “RIOT” they want on Antigua 🇦🇬🇦🇬
MACBETH GEORGE.
Antigua & Barbuda has a Prime Minister who seems financially obligated to the corporates and the hotelier clans, to block off certain beaches and areas of land, where only the rich can hang‐out.
Barbudan’s already understand what’s going on, hence their grievances with Gaston Browne regarding HIS land-grabbing policies and disrespectful behaviour against them.
I wish Antiguans had the same backbone as Barbudan’s. Much respect! ✊🏾
By right no beaches should be private at the end of the day it’s not something some one built or invested in so no one should have the right to block other citizens from going to the beach
I don’t see why someone would or should have a whole beach to themselves
Do Antiguans suffer Dementia or Alzheimers? Tear a page out of Barbados’ book. Decades ago Mighty Gabby sang about the said public issue and the Barbados administration heeded his plight demanding ALL beaches to remain public.
Totally agree @ Melvin Bridgewater, the Bajan government saw what was happening and did something positive about protecting their beaches and shorelines for the indigenous; and then put a Prime Minister in place to put legislation in place.
AND ANTIGUA HAVE ENDED UP WITH A DAMN FOOL … 🥸
So, what did the people of Antigua 🇦🇬. Barbuda to expect to achieve; when the Lunatic Coon and Buffoon-Pawns of the conveyance Governance: fawn-over, and cuddle foreigners at the expense of the indigenous citizens!? We have developed this novel zeal for the prostituting of our indigenous Patrimony: such as to allow for the effect of apartheid to take root, and become prevalent; while we turn a blind eye. And all with the vain efforts to appease the Colonialist Bastards of our demise, and thinking that we are getting over from dwelling in tach roof and wattle ‘N daunting housing to be emulator’s of Europeans mindsets and sensibilities, as has been imbued; such as to be keeping up with the Jones without the sanctity of pride in what we have, and who we are; that has brought us thus far-only to blinded by the glitter of the Europeans lights, and not seeming to give a pause to the fact that the Governance has deem anything good on Antigua🇦🇬 Barbuda; is too good for us, and has tyrannically dispose themselves to sell us back into Chattel enslavement, with their guise of upward mobility and creating polarization in the indigenous population. This is a stance that the Honorably VC Bird would not have eschewed. Please note that Europeans have no moral compass to assimilate into any social fabric that is not an enclave that gives them predominance over any other existence of people and values, that they come in contact with. It is history repeating itself: as the mentality blind, marches merrily on like Lemmings to the cliffs. Re: Submitted without presumed prejudice, contempt, malice, or capricious avarice for the Governance and People’s of Antigua 🇦🇬 Barbuda. Let truth be light unto the conscience of the slumbering souls of our improvising lot and the “Neo colonization by the dollar”
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