St James Central MP Kerrie Symmonds will ask Cabinet to approve a partial compulsory acquisition of the disputed beach access at Payne’s Bay, St James, after the landowners blocked it with a gate and barricades.
He made that revelation earlier today during a press conference at his constituency office in Thorpe’s, St James, after only returning to the island last night from the Republic of South Korea.
Symmonds said he had obtained a plot plan for the property. It shows one plot with one owner and one land tax bill, though Highway 1 runs through it. Most of the land lies east of the highway, with a small sliver on the western side serving as the beach access.
“In my judgement,” Symmonds said, people have used the strip peacefully, openly and as of right for decades, and he was aware of this during his time as MP.
He said the west coast has a long history of barricades and obstructions on beach access routes, which he said breeds social disunity and tension between ordinary Barbadians and property owners. He added that residents rightly see the beach as part of the nation’s patrimony and that the government cannot ignore a widespread perception of social injustice.
The Attorney-at-Law said a full acquisition is neither realistic nor necessary, but that a partial acquisition of the access strip should be considered “at a minimum.”
“I genuinely believe that we did not contest a general election or a series of general elections and win 30 seats repeatedly in order to manage over the decline in fundamental values in this country,” he said, describing beach access as one such value.
He noted that he cannot order an acquisition alone and would make representation to Cabinet. He has already spoken with the Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley, who he believes has no objection because she also understands the injustice residents feel. (BA)
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