Beaches are public in St. Maarten, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Various, such as that of Pelican Key, have become virtually inaccessible due to private development.
This a growing threat one should pay keen attention to. What good is it for beaches to be legally open to the people when they can’t reach them?
Several resorts have also restricted entrance to beaches where they are located. It almost seems as though visiting certain beaches should be considered a privilege, rather than a right.
This is important to keep in mind as Parliament gets ready to meet on the Ennia Outline Agreement with the addendum of caretaker Finance Minister Mariska Gumbs. Mullet Bay is an asset of the troubled insurance company and, although a right to match offers has been included, the property will probably be sold at a high price so taxpayers don’t have to contribute as much to saving the pensions of policyholders.
If purchased by a third party, it would be important to ensure not only continued access to the beach but maintaining the free parking lot, respecting existing vendors as well as – if possible – preserving the golf course and allowing its use by others. Continuing the latter facility would in any case also appear in the best interest of any new tourism-related project like visitor-accommodations there.
Just saying beaches are public is no longer enough. A conscious effort will be needed to keep them reasonably accessible or they may – for all practical purposes – be lost by the population.
