Signs that have cropped up at public beach access paths across Grand Cayman warning people not to swim are advisory only, the Public Lands Commission has said.
The red and white metal plates which have been spotted on the North Side, West Bay, South Sound and East End warn ‘Danger. Shoreline access only. No swimming allowed’.
Morne Botes, property developer with COE Group, was perplexed when he saw one of the signs at his property on North Side and posted a photo to his social media page.
“We do find it confusing as we don’t have ‘no swimming’ laws in Cayman,” he told the Compass. “We welcome everyone to enjoy the ocean on our beautiful islands.”
However, Winsome Prendergast, chief inspector at the Public Lands Commission, told the Compass the signs are to warn swimmers of possible danger.
She said her team had conducted an exercise to assess which areas of shoreline are dangerous.
They marked those that lead down from registered public rights of way but that have no sand and as a result have been deemed unsafe for swimming.
“The ‘No swimming allowed’ signs are meant to warn the public that, should they swim at these registered public accesses, they do so at their own risk,” she said.
The signs have been put up as alternatives to the brown ‘Public Beach Access’ signs with a picture of a swimmer, which signal areas that are clear for the public and safe for swimmers.
Part of the mandate of the Public Lands Commission, which was established in 2017, is the protection of the right of access to public land.
This includes more than 200 registered and unregistered public rights of way to the beach or shoreline, and enforcement of public rights of way over private land.
In February, property owners and managers of seven premises found themselves before the Summary Court on charges of obstructing public access to local beaches.
The charges were brought by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution on behalf of the Public Lands Commission and are just some of 39 similar ongoing investigations.
Those that block public access paths risk a fine of up to $500.
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A very confusing choice of words and context indeed. Communication is a a hell of a thing!!
So the signs should say SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK Not no swimming
what a joke just like PLC……zero accountability. And I did NOT see Winsome and her crew do any exercise to assess which areas of shoreline are dangerous.