The following is a collaborative story, produced by Jamila Falak and Luis Joel Méndez González.
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“¿Quién tiene derecho a la playa? Who owns the beach?” ask any Boricua. “¡La playa es del pueblo!”, they may also say. “The beach belongs to the people”. But if you ask the hotels, the developers, and the politicians, they might say: “Well… it’s complicated.”
Over 1,000 nautical miles by boat from the U.S. territory, Jamaicans have the perception that developers keep grabbing what’s left and putting up fences. On the island, only a minuscule 0.6% of the coastline remains accessible to the public, and most require an admission fee for access, according to Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement (JaBBEM). Private developments have gobbled up the shores, leaving locals feeling like fish out of water. Jamaicans don’t take kindly to the idea of people ‘tiefin’ di beach (stealing the beach). They learn to swim before they can walk. So when hotels start popping up and telling “No locals allowed”, the people say: “Mek wi talk to di judge” (Let us talk to the judge).
The fight for an eroding beach and access
In Puerto Rico, there has been a long fight against coastal privatization and erosion. El mar no pide permiso para entrar, and with climate change accelerating, it’s moving in fast.
That’s exactly what the JaBBEM is doing.
JaBBEM isn’t taking this lying down; they’re battling it out in court to reclaim our sandy sanctuaries. JaBBEM is currently engaged in court battles regarding Blue Lagoon Beach in Portland and Bob Marley Beach in St. Andrew, challenging an outdated 1956 law that still favors private interests over public access.
Dr Devon Taylor, President, JaBEMM & Social Justice Advocate, told Nationwide: “We need to ask ourselves, who owns Jamaican beaches? If the Beach Control Act of 1956 says the beach is vested in the crown, then it is the people’s space!”
But it’s not just about access. Climate change a mash-up up di place. Hurricane Gilbert lick wi down (knocked us down) in 1988. Now, these new generations of hurricanes are becoming stronger and deadlier. Between erosion, pollution, and sea-level rise, the natural coastline is disappearing like a thief inna di night.
In Borikén, coastal erosion has been gnawing away the beaches, especially after Hurricane María.
According to the study “The State of Puerto Rico’s Beaches Post-Maria” by the Institute of Coastal Research and Planning at the Río Piedras Campus of the University of Puerto Rico, much of the island experienced changes to its coastline after the Category 4 hurricane.
This same study revealed that a year after the cyclone, nearly 40% of the 29,895 beach transects in Puerto Rico showed coastal erosion post-María.
Similar to the way Puerto Rico lost beaches after Hurricane Maria, Jamaica’s losses are significant after Gilbert, according to Loop. Now developers are seizing every likkle patch of sand faster than how the crab runs across the beach when yuh try to ketch it, as reported by The Gleaner.
Photo Credit: JaBBEM Instagram profile
It’s not just about sand and sea: it’s about survival.
For years, Luis Lagrandier, a recreational fisherman, has been taking tourists and enthusiasts to the beaches of Lajas and Dorado to fish mainly for dorado and marlin throughout the year. It’s a passion he has enjoyed since childhood due to the island’s favorable climatic conditions.
Following the hurricanes hitting Puerto Rico, coastal erosion has worsened, he emphasized. The construction of hard structures along the coast, such as breakwaters, hotels, and homes, has also accelerated sand loss on the coasts due to changes in wave flow and retreat.
“What was land is now water; what was water is now land,” he lamented.
Hurricanes like Maria only made things worse. Maria was the storm that changed everything: trees, reefs, and entire beaches were lost overnight. The ocean took what was already fragile and said, “This belongs to me now.”
In Jamaica, fishers are finding it harder to access the sea, and locals are losing spots to relax and de-stress. This lack of access is taking a toll on mental health. Climate Tracker spoke with some residents in Saint Ann who said that the beach is their life.”
Desmond, an elderly fisherman in Portland, said, “Mi did born pon di sea. Mi daddy did born pon di sea. If mi cyaa si di wata, mi feel like mi cyaa breathe.”
More than a relaxation spot
On a personal and individual level, beaches have been a social resource where family and community activities converge in Puerto Rico, said sociopsychologist Eduardo Lugo.
“It is a place of enjoyment and escape for many. Contact with nature, in this case, the beaches, is also a place of peace and tranquility for many, thus contributing to physical and mental health,” he added.
Lugo explained that beaches, rivers, and lakes are places that promote mental health and improve people’s emotions. This effect has even been seen in various cultures, and it is documented that going to the beach and living near the coast improves relaxation, enhances social interactions, and improves both mental and physical health, he added.
For gifted writer, facilitator of sacred healing spaces and experiences, sabriya simon, the ocean is not just a place of play but a profoundly spiritual space. She recalls a poignant encounter at Bob Marley Beach with a fisherman who observed her morning rituals of meditation and offering flowers. After weeks of watching, he approached her and said:
“Empress, I saw you meditating and offering flowers, and it struck me—so many of us take from the ocean without saying thanks. I moved to where you were, and after you left, I caught so much fish. I get so much from the ocean to feed my family, and yet I don’t really say thanks. It reminded me to be more grateful and to share what I receive.”
This interaction became a testament to the power of gratitude and reciprocity. Her advocacy extends beyond spiritual practices to actionable change. sabriya advocates for personal responsibility and systemic accountability for the care of beaches.
“We go to the ocean to feel lighter and to wash away our burdens, but we rarely say thank you,” she reflects.
Organized across the board
Activists and community leaders have moved across the board to fight against those ongoing issues.
For instance, activist and community organizer Lauce Colón Pérez highlighted how coastal erosion has accelerated the loss of public access to beaches, especially in his hometown of Arecibo.
The community organizer warned that accessing the coast is becoming increasingly difficult due to the way it has been degraded by the constant impact.
On one hand, Colón Pérez explained that beaches are a cultural and public heritage for the residents of Puerto Rico. On the other hand, the activist mentioned that they enrich the mental and spiritual health of beachgoers, in addition to the economic health of the communities where they are located.
The fight for beach access is the fight for the future. Whether it is in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, or anywhere in the Caribbean.
Standing up for the right to the sea have made locals join movements like JCCYC, JaBBEM, and Playas Pa’l Pueblo to protect the coastlines.
They have demanded stronger beach access laws and coastal protections and called out developers and politicians who prioritize profit over people. Signing petitions, attending court hearings, and reclaiming the beaches.
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This story was published with the support of the Caribbean Climate Justice Journalism Fellowship, which is a joint venture between Climate Tracker Caribbean and Open Society Foundations.
