by ALBERT BRANDFORD

MINISTER of Housing and Lands Michael Lashley has threatened to compulsorily acquire property from any developer to ensure continued access to beaches by locals.

Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, Lashley, who is also MP for St Philip North, recalled having discussions recently about private development of a multi-million dollar five-star resort at Merricks, St Philip.

Concerns

Concerns have been raised by residents and others in the media, including on the Internet, about people in the district and other locals not having access to the popular beach in the area once the resort has been completed, or having to go through the private property to reach to sea.

He told the House that once a determination had been made to go the route of private tourism development, then Government must ensure that members of the particular community close to the development would continue to have access to the beach or to lands close to the development.

(The April 17, 2008 Cabinet decision reaffirmed one taken by the previous Cabinet on September 7, 2006).

He stressed, however, that while it may have been a "custom" for members of a community to access the beach through private property, it was not a "right" since people had a constitutional right to their property.

The minister insisted, nevertheless, that members of the community should not be isolated "and, in fact, I stated outright to developers that members of that particular community and district should continue to have that right, or that custom, and in fact, I believe that should happen".

"In the first resort, you have some discussion with the proposed developers to see if we could amicably resolve any tension, and then if that cannot be reached, I believe that the sections of the Land Acquisition Act would have to be invoked to provide the access for members of the public.

No toleration

"I want to say outright that we would not be tolerating any developer who would seek to move members of the community far away from any proposed development, and I believe that we should have it stated expressly that members of the community and members of the public should have access to any . . . beach in extension to any development," Lashley said.

His comments were made as he opened debate on a resolution to vest 33.51 hectares (82.80 acres) of Crown lands at Harrison's Point, St Lucy, including the former United States Naval Base site and lands formerly used for agricultural and recreational purposes by the National Youth Service, in the state-own Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. for tourism-related development.