3 weeks ago
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The Government of Jamaica wants private sector partners to manage and operate Tryall Beach in Hanover, which serves as a rest stop near a golf course.
The beach spans approximately 200 metres and features a shallow shoreline with few benches, according to the National Environment and Planning Agency, NEPA, which wants “partners to operate and manage the property primarily as a public seaside park”.
Bids are due by April 28.
NEPA notes that nearby attractions include Barbican Estate, the Hanover Museum, and the Tryall Golf Course and that Tryall Beach is sited about 1.0 kilometre away from the luxurious Tryall Club villas.
Beaches and attractions are usually held by the Urban Development Corporation. But the tender by NEPA indicates that the environmental agency and its associated Natural Resources Conservation Authority, NRCA, are custodians of several “beaches enjoyed and utilised by the public”.
“Tryall Beach property in Hanover is a seaside park that is currently in its natural state,” NEPA noted. “As a result, it is mostly used as a rest stop or for recreational activities outside of wading and swimming.”
There are a few benches, chairs, and trash bin across the 4,160 square metres of land.
Some of the privately managed beaches in Jamaica include Puerto Seco Beach in Discovery Bay, St Ann; Fort Clarence Beach in Hellshire, St Catherine; Doctor’s Cave Beach in Montego Bay; Frenchman’s Cove Beach in Portland; Bamboo Beach Club in Ocho Rios, St Ann; and Silver Sands Beach in Trelawny. These privately managed beaches are distinct from hotel beach acquisitions, which are part of broader tourism development projects.
The Beach Access and Management Policy points out “with increased tourist and residential development along the coastal strip, fewer good beaches are being left available for development for public use”. The policy aims to balance public access with upkeep. It outlines measures to regulate beach access, protect traditional rights, and ensure sustainability.
In recent years, the issue of public access to beaches has resurfaced with in relation to Bob Marley Beach in Bull Bay. Two interest groups, the Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement and the Jamaica Surfing Association, are advocating to enshrine public access rights to Bob Marley Beach amidst a US$200-million development project by the Woof Group.
The Woof Group has said that public access to the beach is not at risk.
English (US) ·