Sandals promises to minimise impact as environmentalists decry plans for new luxury properties

Plans by Sandals Resorts International to build new luxury properties in Providence, St James, have triggered environmental concerns over potential damage to Jamaica’s delicate coastal ecosystems.

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the development, which includes 18 overwater bungalows and 10 villas, has raised red flags. The report outlines the removal of black mangroves, the destruction of seagrass beds, and disruption to endangered marine species like the Hawksbill sea turtle.

Dr Devon Taylor, president of the Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement (JaBBEM), warned that the development would not only eliminate vital marine habitats but also privatise marine space.

“This is not just a coastal development … . A part of the sea will be appropriated, it will be taken away,” he told The Gleaner.

Taylor noted that the EIA highlights that the development would affect the only remaining mangrove patch in the area and eliminate wetlands that support biodiversity and shoreline stability.

“No jobs can outweigh an environmental cost, because environmentalism is linked to our survival,” he said.

In response, Sandals Resorts said it was taking steps to minimise the project’s impact.

“We are putting in place a comprehensive mitigation plan to offset and minimise any potential impacts on critical coastal ecosystems,” said Rachel McLarty, corporate director of communications and public relations at Sandals.

To address the removal of black mangroves, McLarty stated, “Saplings from the project site will be carefully identified, nurtured in a dedicated nursery, and then relocated to these recipient sites to support healthy regrowth and habitat restoration. A programme of monitoring will be established.”

As for seagrass beds, which are essential for water quality and marine nurseries, McLarty explained, “The process will involve gently lifting the plants with root systems intact, preparing the new site to support root development, and replanting at the optimal depth and spacing to ensure successful restoration. Fauna that depends on seagrass beds will also be safely relocated alongside the vegetation.”

Sandals also highlighted protocols in place to protect sea turtles.

“Our mitigation efforts include team member awareness and training … construction site protocols … partnerships with local environmental agencies … turtle-friendly lighting … [and] guest engagement and education,” said McLarty.

Still, Taylor and other stakeholders remain skeptical.

“Sandals should know that they need to stop. They need to sit down and they need to check themselves,” he said. “This kind of capitalistic, unchecked disaster push by Sandals needs to be put in check because it comes at the cost of our people’s displacement and disempowerment from the coastline.”

LEGAL ACTIONS

He warned legal action is on the table.

“We are ready to act in the manner in which the community wants to act … so it’s a high probability that this will end up in the court.”

For decades, community members from Whitehouse, Providence Heights, Norwood, and Flankers have used Providence Beach for recreation, spiritual practices, and fishing.

However, many now feel they are being pushed out. Furthermore, residents firmly stated that they absolutely would not be giving Sandals their cherished beach.

Taylor further states that the issue and the residents’ attachment to the beach is not just environmental but it’s also legal.

“They have used the beach for more than 20 years. And the law basically says 20 years of usage will allow you to use it in perpetuity, as long as the court recognises it,” he said, referencing Jamaica’s Prescription Act of 1882.

Although Sandals did not directly comment on the law, the company reaffirmed the rights of every individual within the communities, saying the resorts operator would remain dedicated to being a responsible and responsive neighbour.

However, local fishers are also alarmed as they face losing their livelihood as well as a home away from home.

“There are vastly more than 100 fisherfolks that [operate] outside of that beach … Fishing … is very important for food security,” said Taylor. “It’s an economic empowerment for the communities in and around the area.”

In response, Sandals pointed to its regional efforts to include fishers in its supply chain.

“We are actively engaging with stakeholders to ensure concerns are heard and addressed in a transparent, constructive manner.”

McLarty also added that Sandals has partnered with the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations (CNFO) to support training and market access for sustainable fishing.

“We are committed to rolling out this model in Jamaica shortly, providing local fishers with opportunities to … access stable markets for sustainably caught seafood,” she said.

Another major point of contention is Sandals’ use of Crown waters. JaBBEM argues that the resort’s reliance on 2016 guidelines is legally flawed.

“Crown waters cannot just be divested or transferred to private interest for exclusive use,” Taylor said. “You can’t enforce guidelines. They’re just not laws.”

He therefore called for a revision to the guidelines, which he says are far outdated.

As community tensions keep rising, some former Sandals supporters continue feeling devalued and betrayed.

“People are standing up. They said, ‘Enough is enough’.’ Get up off the people’s backs’. ‘Stop pushing them down to build your empire’,” Taylor declared.

When asked if Sandals would consider revising the project, McLarty stated that the company remains open to community feedback with the goal of possibly sharing mutual interests with community members at some point.

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com