‘Apologise or go home’- Local woman chased off beach
In an interview with Virgin Islands News Online on Sunday January 22, 2017, Mrs Stoutt-Fraites said Premier Smith spoke to her and assured her that he would contact the gentleman in question but has not returned to her to say anything else. She also mentioned that the Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr. Kedrick Pickering (R7) has not spoken to her on the matter.
“I am waiting for the authorities to say something, I am waiting for them,” she said, adding, “They have been quite busy with the budget and all those things so I am just patiently waiting for them.”
Apologise or go home
When asked what would she like done, Mrs Stoutt-Fraites remarked that the Owner/Manager has two options.
“This guy needs to make an apology or he needs to leave the island! He needs to apologise to the citizens of Tortola or to leave the island and go back to practice what he wants to practice. It is an extremely disturbing thing because all my life I travelled all over the world and I have never been confronted with this kind of behaviour,” she pointed out.
Ordering people off the beach needs to cease
Stoutt-Fraites said the reason for her speaking out on the matter is for it to end right away.
“It needs to be stopped immediately, anybody that is trying to do this needs to be stopped! We are all human beings, no one is better than anybody, despite what their financial status are, they should not treat anyone in that manner. It needs to cease, because the younger people probably wouldn’t take it so lightly.”
Background
According to Mrs Stoutt-Fraites, on Sunday, January 8, 2017 she, along with the rest of her family, was observing the anniversary of her late father, Mr W.W. Warren Stoutt. She said following a get-together and wreath laying, the family went for a swim at Little Apple Bay beach, a place they swam all their lives.
She recounted that while on the beach, the owner/manager of Sugar Mill Hotel told them they could not sit on the chair, use the hammock and allegedly even asked the children to come out of the water.
She said a confrontation followed and it almost turned violent, and the family refused to comply with the manager’s orders and consequently he allegedly took the hammock off the pole while one of them was still in it.
The family eventually left the said beach about 8:30 P.M.
Despite several attempts to reach the Owner/Manager of Sugar Mill Hotel, each time we were told to call back as he was not available.
Similar complaints
It was on Saturday, January 7, 2017, that a local family was also allegedly asked to leave a certain beach area on Peter Island.
The family from Jost Van Dyke said they went to the island with a private boat and was subsequently approached by a manager of the Peter Island Resort who allegedly being told they had to move to another area.
Another local family also complained that they were denied use of the ferries to get to Peter Island and Scrub Island to enjoy the beach.
‘Minister to give update this week’
Meanwhile, First District Representative and Opposition Member Hon Andrew A. Fahie had since urged the Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr The Hon Kedrick D. Pickering (R7) to immediately address the contentious issue of access to the beach near the Sugar Mill Hotel in Apple Bay on the West End of Tortola, Virgin Islands.
In a letter to the Minister, who is also the Deputy Premier, Hon Fahie contended there is need for urgent intervention to prevent “unwarranted outcomes.”
Asked for an update on the matter yesterday, January 22, 2017 Hon Fahie said “the minister [Hon Pickering] will give an update this week.”
Legislation guiding Public Access & Rights of Way to Beaches
On January 17, 2017 Government Information Service (GIS) issued a bulletin reminding of the legislation guiding Public Access and Rights of Way to Beaches as per the Planning Act 2004.
It said the Planning Act 2004 states that “a beach” is defined as that area of the coastal zone from the seaward limit of the foreshore running inland to the vegetation line or other natural barrier whichever is closer to the landward limit of the foreshore, and a beach may consist of sand, stones, gravel, shingle, coral fragments or boulders.
“Section 61 states: There shall be at least one public landward access to every beach in the Territory. Where there is no alternative public landward access, traditional public use of a private landward access through an existing private development shall be sufficient grounds for establishing a public way over that access for the purpose of access to the beach by the public.
Where the only landward access to a beach is through an existing private development where traditional public use pursuant to subsection (2) has not been established, the Crown may acquire the right to public use of that landward access by gift, agreement, compulsory acquisition, or in exchange for other property, interest, or financial exemption, or by such other means as the Minister may recommend.
For the purposes of this section “traditional public use” means peaceable, open and uninterrupted enjoyment for a period of twenty years or more; and public landward access shall be motorable unless the Minister otherwise determines.
For more information regarding this legislation, persons may contact the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour at 468-2147 or nrl@gov.vg.”
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45 Responses to “‘Apologise or go home’- Local woman chased off beach”
but because this is not the real dog, opinions are getting confused. I do not want to
be confused with the one above. stop it!
Them people coming in people country with them heck. Reason being they know ndp will back them
The beach is public.
You could use the beaches but you cannot use the Resorts facilities.
Its like if you go to Cane Garden Bay; the beach is public but you cannot expect to use the facilities that belongs to the people that owns water sports, unless you pay a fee.
to have 20-30 people partying could be considered inconsiderate if they didn't even acknowledge
the establishment. there are respectful ways of co-existing.