Reopening brings wave of hope to Hellshire Beach
Published:Thursday | June 3, 2021 | 12:10 AMRasbert Turner/Gleaner Writer
It was a brighter atmosphere which engulfed the Hellshire Beach in St Catherine yesterday as dark clouds of despair began dissipating on the first day of the reopening of beaches and rivers across the island.
Shuttered for much of the past year due to COVID-19 restrictions – with a previous attempt at reopening scrapped due to overcrowding concerns – operators and visitors breathed a sigh of relief, vowing to stick closely to the regulations this time around.
The change in the wind came on the announcement by Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Tuesday that beaches and rivers would be allowed to operate for swimming bathing and exercising with no more than 10 persons gathered in any one area.
Yesterday, the Hellshire Beach was abuzz with activity as business operators prepared for the return of customers.
Vernal Emanuel Whyte expressed delight while scraping oysters from a bucket.
“We are pleased ... . We feel happy that more people will come inside the place so that we can make up for the year’s losses,” Whyte told The Gleaner, pointing to the economic blow dealt by the sustained closure.
His views were echoed by Christine Thompson, who saw the opening as a “test”.
“This is a test as for more than one year, no business, and money gone down the drain, so while we are pleased, let’s hope that it works,” Thompson said.
Visitor Kaydena Henry noted that it would take a collaborative approach to be successful.
“The reopening can only work well for the outdoor activities, especially during the summer period. The announcement can only make things better and we must do everything to make it work,” Henry said.
PREPARATION MODE
The operators of the popular Prendy’s on the Beach were busily refurbishing for the reopening.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to supply my customers again. I am very pleased, as even this morning I was [contacted] by customers, who are waiting with bated breath to support us,” Donnette Prendergast said.
The Half Moon Bay Fishing Cooperative is also putting plans in place to manage the reopening of the Hellshire Beach property.
“We are currently meeting with the cooperative to be able to get the business off the ground,” Public Relations Officer Gladstone Whyte told The Gleaner.
“We are pleased with the announcement and we will be doing all to maintain the protocol to be able to fully benefit from the reopening of the facilities that fall under our management,” he added, revealing that there would be an increased security presence at the gate to monitor activities.
“We have managed to keep up the protocol that was set out by the Social Development Commission ... . We are hoping to put ourselves in a position to benefit from the new orders,” added Christopher Brown, chairman of the cooperative.
Beaches and rivers can now be opened between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays under the new measures, which expire at the end of the month.