Public access to the Baths must be protected — Fraser
Deputy Premier Julian Fraser has rejected proposed restrictions on public access to The Baths and Devil’s Bay in Virgin Gorda, declaring that the beaches must remain available to residents and visitors.
Fraser, who holds responsibility for the environment and natural resources, said even limited restrictions would conflict with the government’s policy and legislative framework governing public access to beaches.
“These are national treasures of the British Virgin Islands, and they belong to the people of the territory,” Fraser stated.
The minister met National Parks Trust Chairman Ayana Hull and Director Dr Cassander Titley-O’Neal on August 28 to discuss the proposed restrictions. He said the Trust’s responsibility for managing and protecting national parks must be respected, but the government had a duty to intervene when its decisions conflicted with established policy or legislation.
The dispute followed confirmation from the Trust that it was negotiating with an international luxury cruise operator to reserve The Baths and Devil’s Bay for passengers on nine mornings during the peak tourism season. The arrangement would have prevented the general public from entering during those periods.
Ninth District Representative Vincent Wheatley had earlier opposed the proposal and recalled directing the Trust in July 2021 to reverse another decision to close The Baths to residents and non-cruise visitors during specified hours. The earlier restrictions would have applied between 9 am and 2 pm on cruise-ship days.
A carrying-capacity study
Fraser said the government should not create arrangements that excluded one group of users to benefit another. He instead proposed a comprehensive carrying-capacity study covering The Baths, Devil’s Bay and other heavily visited national parks.
The study would assess the parks’ environmental, physical and operational capacity and establish sustainable daily and hourly visitor limits. It would also address overcrowding, peak-period congestion and the effect of cruise tourism while ensuring access for residents and tourists.
“A carrying capacity study gives us an opportunity to move away from ad hoc decisions and toward a management system based on evidence,” Fraser stated. “We need to know what these parks can sustainably accommodate and then manage visitation accordingly. The objective should be to maintain, and where possible improve, the experience for everyone, whether they are a resident of the Virgin Islands or a visitor coming here from overseas.“
Tourism and public access aren’t competing interests
He said tourism and public access should not be treated as competing interests and warned against allowing commercial opportunities to undermine established principles governing beach access.
“The Baths and Devil’s Bay are among the most recognisable and valued natural attractions in the BVI. Their management must therefore be approached with great care, transparency and fairness,” Fraser stated.
Fraser said the government would continue discussions with the Trust while respecting its operational responsibilities.
“A properly conducted carrying capacity study will give us the information necessary to make sound decisions for the future,” Fraser stated.
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Locals are not overcrowding beaches, thats the simple reality of it. We’re here all the time so we’re not all going to the beach at the same time compared to people coming off a boat and all going at once. The simple solution for overcrowding is having our tourism corridor broaden and spread the load of tourists to multiple beaches when ships are in rather than carrying all of them to one or two. We’re not lacking in gorgeous beaches.
You have to give it to Hon. Fraser, it either his deep political experience or the Hitler moustache but something about him sends the message dont F***with me, and people dont. If it were anyone else people could question how does this happen without a Minister of the portfolio that oversees beaches , and a Deputy at that, not know. But that does not happen with Hon. Fraser. And only 1 publication even rasied the question. The same thing hapened with crossing over to VIP , Hon. Smith catches hell but not a word about Fraser. And I am not hating becuase if you can get away having that kind of authority and respect by all means use it .What I do question is peoples ability to be blatantly hypocritical.
he is full of it, the agreement is already signed a done deal, why… suddenly they are fixing a dock to recieve crusie ship guests that hasn’t been touched for years.
They have sold it to the highest bidder, and now will flood the baths with people who do not even pay the $10 environmental tax , yet they will cause the most damage
I dont get this whole Baths Saga and these politicians. Everyone that has, lately, been “against it” and saying “it must be protected” and all this crap are actually IN POWER.
DO SOMETHING and make sure it doesnt happen if you really care.
But ya, not everyone is as stupid as these politicians think. The apparent case is that this is a done deal and come election time, they can say;
“Go back and see what I said back then, I was against it!”
Fraser to the rescue
THE LIBERATOR LOL
This man Fraser statement is tentative, he has to do this until election is over, natalio can’t be trusted, you saw what he does with the tax payers monies and still saying he knows nothing about it as premiere and minister of finance, those two position he holds puts him in the knowing of everything in the BVI, even the governor gives him information.
If all the people who are making a fuss about this donated some money to the National Parks Trust, they wouldn’t need to exclusively reserve The Baths to fund themselves. And shame on a minister who doesn’t back his people, whilst denying them the resources to do their job.
Since 1st August 1834, You cannot give in to excluding local people for any margin of time…Never agree to such debacle in the Virgin Islands in 2026 and beyond. You have some sellouts yes, but you have to put them in their proper place in the history of this country.
Why is this even a discussion? This place jokey mehson.