Jamaica is a Caribbean paradise that millions of travelers enjoy visiting each year. But the ugly reality? The people of Jamaica aren’t allowed to enjoy the beauty of their own home. Here's why.
Only 1% of the country's beaches are open to the public. Most of the beaches that once welcomed Jamaicans into the island's glistening blue waters have been taken over by privately owned all-inclusive resorts and beachfront properties. Many of them? Not owned by Jamaicans, but by large corporations like Sandals Resorts. It all goes back to colonialism.
After enslavement in Jamaica ended, the British didn't give land to formerly enslaved people. Instead, large swaths of land were sold to the wealthy elite and retained by enslavers. By 1956, the colonial government had passed the Beach Control Act. And it's just what it sounds like.
The Act made all beaches the property of the British monarchy. Despite promising that the purpose of the Act was to protect the land, licenses were issued to private developers and luxury resorts. Even after independence, Jamaica's beaches remain legally vested in the British state.
With politicians and mega corporations holding millions of dollars in real estate, colonial control persists. Local residents shouldn’t be the last ones who get to bask in the island's beauty. To stand in solidarity, when visiting Jamaica or any Black community, we should support Black, locally owned businesses first. We all we got.