IT HAS BEEN brought to my attention that Sandals Resort Barbados, located at Dover, Christ Church, is now in the preliminary stages of creating an artificial reef to serve as a jetty and offshore breakwater opposite its Maxwell Beach property.
It must be pointed out that the placement of large boulders last January on the beach opposite the same property has not yet had any of the advertised benefits of a bigger, better beach which the hotel claimed would happen.
The results of the placement of these boulders are there for everyone to see.
Sandals has declared it has received the blessing of the Barbados Government in the placing of these boulders, but the opinions of none of the surrounding hotels whose guests also use this beach, local residents or individuals familiar with the movement of sand on this beach appear to have been consulted.
No one is now going to risk life and limb by taking a romantic walk on this beach at night.
Neither can anyone now take a shortcut across this beach at night to reach the restaurants in the St Lawrence Gap.
The Government and people of Barbados should also ask Sandals to stop any new tampering with the environment of this beach.
The last time a jetty was constructed on this side of the island, Miami Beach was the end result. An excellent beach but not the intended purpose of the original plan, which was to create a base for the local Coast Guard. It cost the Government millions of dollars to relocate the Coast Guard.
Maxwell Beach is a resource to be shared not only by all Barbadians, but also with the thousands of satisfied foreign visitors who have no interest in rubbing noses with Sandy Lane’s West Coast jetsetters.
– WYNSLO PHILLIPS
