Vitamin Sea

Photo: Jamille De-Andra Chin

One of my favourite things about being an island girl is going to the beach. Seeing water makes me happy and I find it very therapeutic to frolic in. Yes, many say Jamaica is more than the three S's: sun, sand and sea but frankly, the sea is a big part of our geographical determinant. We are a small island developing state surrounded by the Caribbean Sea whose waters reflect shades of turquoise, iridescent blue, sky blue, navy blue and sea green. Water is one of the most important elements in our tourism product. Jamaica is dubbed, the "Land of Wood and Water" and we boast of having one of the safest water supply systems in the world. Our greatest challenge as a country is that the best beaches are being sold to hotels as part of their vacation packages. Perhaps, this may be viewed as a new form of colonization by locals. The naked truth is that sooner rather than later locals won't have any free beaches they can go, to enjoy some recreational time. A Beach Control Act exists to enlighten citizens about their public rights to access beaches. However, we may question whose interest this act protects. When investors come to our shores, the shares of citizens are not taken into consideration. If there are any stakeholder analyses, it is just observing due process for the sake of formalities. Development occurs at any given cost and  the concerns of citizens are usually overlooked. Our beautiful beaches are a part of our cultural heritage and most treasured natural resources. As such, our citizenry need to get more engaged where our rights are concerned to advocate for local usage of our beaches.