Jamaican activists file lawsuits to protect public beach access

The Guardian reported that Jamaican community groups, including the Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement, filed lawsuits in Jamaican courts demanding unrestricted public access to beaches. They said current tourism policies favor private developers and limit local use of the shoreline. The cases covered several parishes where all-inclusive resort expansions were planned.

Later, the same groups filed five separate cases to halt the privatization of popular beaches and to seek repeal of the 1956 Beach Control Act, the newspaper said. They argue the law restricts public access and benefits foreign investors. The legal actions continue in Jamaican courts as the groups pursue free access to the coast.