BEACH RIGHTS GROUP SAYS MAMMEE BAY PROTEST SUCCESSFUL

JABBEM STAGES PROTEST TO HIGHLIGHT CONTINUING BEACH ACCESS ISSUES

MAMMEE BAY, St Ann; April 6, 2026

The group advocating for full access to Jamaican beaches says its protest on Saturday, April 4, to draw attention to the ongoing struggle was successful.
Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental movement (JaBBEM) staged a protest near the exit and entrance to the North South Highway at Mammee Bay, St Ann, next to a beach that it insists should be made available to the public. JaBBEM still has the matter of the Mammee Bay beach in court as it presses for access to beaches.

JaBBEM’s president Dr Devon Taylor, told North Coast Times that the intention was to attract the attention of the many people using that strip of roadway to the continuing fight for beach access. Protestors held placards calling for beach access and inviting motorists to honk their support. He said many of the people coming to St Ann from Kingston and elsewhere to participate in holiday festivities needed to be reminded that access to beaches was still restricted
He said, “It allowed us the chance to communicate to the Jamaican public…from all walks of life, people are coming to parties on the Coast and don’t understand we are all victims” of the lack of unfettered access to beaches.
Mr Taylor said it was also good that he had the time to provide a response to the recently tabled Government Beach Control Access management Policy of 2026, which his group has rejected.
Protestors take to the streets with a beach access protest at Drax Hall, On Saturday, April 4, 2026. WATCH