Minister for Lands Jay Ebanks said government is moving to strengthen protections and provide greater clarity around access points following concerns over blocked and disputed public beach access across Grand Cayman.
“We are working on all of our beach access areas right now; we’ve got some legal opinions on the rights of way in these locations and how we can move forward,” he said.
“We’re identifying every one of them and we’re going to be putting up new signage on them. We’re going to be looking at creating a fence line for them and we will make sure that they’re clear,” said Ebanks.
Ebanks added that government is considering adding more members on the Public Lands Commission side “to be able to not only protect beach access but also be able to maintain them and to keep them up”.
He said significant work should be visible “within the next couple of weeks”.
Beach access concerns
Cultural advocate Lorna Bush has recently raised concerns about rights of way at Prospect Point and on Seven Mile Beach.
“There are some [beach accesses] across this island that have been blocked off, chained, padlocked … that you absolutely cannot get access to,” Bush told the Compass. “I feel so strongly about it. We have been robbed of our beach access.”
She said that while beach access signage exists on the north side of the Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa, she has observed restaurant equipment, vehicles and other obstructions in area she believes should remain clear.
However, Bush said she had noticed that the Westin had taken steps to remove the restaurant equipment in the public beach access corridor.
Westin VP and Managing Director Jim Mauer said he was surprised to hear there were public beach access concerns by the Westin hotel. “We make a concerted effort to keep the right of way clean and free at all times.”
He added, “I walk the public rights of way beside the property daily to make sure those areas remain clear and accessible, and we take that responsibility seriously.”
“We regard ourselves as good corporate citizens and we are honoured that the Westin hotel is located on the most beautiful stretch of beach in the entire Caribbean.”
“In addition to the ensuring the six- to eight-foot path to the beach is open and available for everyone, residents and visitors alike, we are also a very welcoming property; people even walk through the Westin breezeway and other areas all the time, and as long as they are respectful and keep things clean, and we let them pass through, even though they are not staying at the property.”
Public Lands Commission response
In response to questions from the Compass, Yuliet Smith, acting deputy chief inspector with the Public Lands Commission, said enforcement action is under way in at least one case.
“Regarding Prospect Point 3 (PP3), an Enforcement Notice has been issued, and the Inspectorate is actively engaging with the two affected properties to ensure compliance and resolution,” Smith said.
Smith outlined the scale of the commission’s responsibilities. Inspectors conduct periodic checks on approximately 246 Crown properties, including beaches, parks and lands for public purpose. The commission assists in safeguarding around 112 registered beach or shoreline accesses on Grand Cayman, five on Cayman Brac and 10 on Little Cayman, alongside investigating complaints, issuing enforcement notices and tickets under the Public Lands Act, monitoring vendors and processing permits for public land use.
“While inspections of public rights-of-way form part of the inspectorate’s remit, inspectors are responsible for a broad range of public land oversight and compliance functions across the Cayman Islands,” Smith said.
Beyond signs, surveys and notices
For Bush, however, the issue goes beyond signage, surveys and enforcement notices. It is personal.
Looking at her 3-year-old great-grandson, she says her advocacy is about the future as much as the past.
“I fight because he deserves to roam on this same beach that I roamed on, to run where I once ran, to know the sea, the way it knew me.”
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Good. About time. Looking at photos of the beach access next to the Westin it’s clear it’s being used as a storage area & not as readily accessible as they would have you believe. The property owners on Prospect Point have always attempted to block access. Good to see CIG finally stepping up.
Access to the rights of way also depends on access to nearby parking, which is often not available.