Loss Of Beach Access

The Editor
The Anguillian

LOSS OF BEACH ACCESS

A few months ago, several members of government (including 4 Ministers) accompanied residents of the West End on an inspection tour of beach access problems on the West End. Since that time, some improvements have been made to the parking areas/access at Cove Bay, Maundays Bay and Shoal Bay West.

However, during that tour, we were told that the “limited access” existing at that time to Meads Bay and Barnes Bay through Viceroy would only be temporary – about 6 weeks. Unfortunately, now even that “limited access” has been lost. The Viceroy property has been completely fenced in and security guards at both entrances are keeping people out. Currently at Barnes Bay, the only access to the beach is at the parking lot next to Mango’s (which I believe is private property), and access is blocked by sea grapes. Access to the west end of Meads Bay – as well as parking - has been removed. The only way to get to the beach is to park at Corals (if there is room), walk through their entrance, then through the bush – again, private property. There is the small footpath behind La Sirena, but there is no parking. So if we look at the north beaches on the West End, there is no access and/or parking to Long Bay except through Oliver’s Restaurant (private), none to Meads Bay except next to Malliouhana, and only to Barnes Bay through Mango’s parking lot.

Anguilla needs to realize that the objective of any developed beachfront property is to make their beach frontage as private as possible. (There is even a property being developed advertising “...Anguilla’s first and only exclusive gated community“ with “Private beach access”.) The last thing they want to see is “Joe Tourist” coming out on “their” beach with his grill, boom box, pink umbrella and purple towel – but this free access is exactly why many tourists come to Anguilla. Is this a sign of things to come? Also, the need to close off beach access because of construction/safety is the developers’ problem, not Anguilla’s – they need to allow beach access even during construction!

Finally, after being refused entrance to Viceroy, I was able to walk Barnes Bay by entering at Mango’s. But there on the point between Barnes and Meads Bay was a worker who was allowed to drive to the point and then go fishing – the same point I was not allowed access to. It was sad to sail by that point during the race on Sunday, and see only a few workers and a guard watching the race – where there used to be dozens of people at this favorite “race watching” place.

Please get involved and don’t let Anguilla’s most valuable natural resource – it’s beaches - be taken away.

Steve Donahue
West End