Jamaicans win a rare court ruling in their fight against "plantation tourism" that locks them off their own beaches

L2Who’s affected

Jamaicans priced out by entrance fees and bans on outside food. Taylor: "We the people do not want to be treated as second-class citizens in our country." Monique Christie: "The product that is Jamaica is not the hotel... It has always been us, the people."

L3Why it’s quiet

Analysis · OVERLOOKED The fight plays out in local courts over years, and coverage tends to focus on resorts rather than residents' access.

L4Deeper impact

Environment minister Matthew Samuda says there is no basis for protest: “176,000 people are feeding their families because of our tourism product.” He says Little Dunn's River was restricted after a murder and the government will allow free access Friday to Sunday, with lifeguards, and that new legislation will require future developments to create access points. Taylor calls the restriction "collective punishment" and says four years later people can only use it on weekends. Buzo points to Australia and Barbados, which keep public beaches alongside thriving tourism.

L5Full context

The 1956 Act gave the state ownership of the foreshore and seabed. Prime Minister Andrew Holness proposed a beach access and management policy in March; Jamaica Environment Trust's Dr Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie says it "really didn't" address the issues. Samuda says Jamaica "spent 30 years being in the top three most murderous countries on the planet" but has "conquered our crime monster."

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