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How you can Help

“In Jamaican common law, the public has no general rights of access to the foreshore (Beach) except to pass over it for the purpose of navigation or fishing. There is therefore no general right of bathing, or to walk along the foreshore, except where acquired by custom or prescription, nor is there any general right to fish except as provided in Section 3(3) of the Beach Control Act, 1956 (BCA)”.

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  • Join the movement

  • Defend your beach access rights and contact JaBBEM

  •  Advocacy (Public Education, Litigation and Political Pressure​)

    • To help with educational awareness/advocacy 

      • around beach access/use of the sea and river rights 

      • ecosystem/biodiversity protection

      • Rights of Nature Legal tool to enable legal personhood status to sensitive ecosystems

    • Use social media and other platforms to promote JaBBEM’s mission for 

      • general and unfettered rights of access and use of the sea and rivers in Jamaica for all Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica 

      • Rights of nature status for sensitive beach and river ecosystems with personhood rights to protect biodiversity

      • Support Framework for a progressive Beach Access and Protection policy 

    • Help with Public Sensitization about the colonial era discriminatory Beach Control Act of 1956 (BCA-1956) that regulates Beach Access and use of the sea in Jamaica

    • Help advocate for the Repeal and replacement of the discriminatory colonial-era BCA-1956

    • Help promote the need for constitutional protection for right to access the beach and use the sea and rivers

    • Call, write or visit your councillor and MP to support general rights for beach access and use of the sea and rivers

    • ​Write to NEPA and join the movement to ban hotel building within 65 feet of high water sea line.

    • Advocate for transparent environmental governance 

      • Support the separation of NEPA from the control of the minister of government to prevent political influences on environmental and beach access/use of sea and river governance.

  • Donate

    • Support JaBBEM Legal Defence fund:

      • Donate to the GoFundMe. 

      • Local account coming soon.

    • Give your time and expertise.

  • Sign the petition

    • Help with awareness: Beach access and use of the sea rights are under threat in Jamaica

    • Sign the petition at change.org (do not make donation at change.org. Donations at change.org do not come to JaBBEM; donate only at GoFundMe or locally) 

    • Take the survey.

  • Committed to Environmental Education

    • Learn about the power of  Rights of nature as a tool to protect nature.

    • Understand Beach and river ecosystems role in climate change and mitigation

    • The impact of colonialism on environmental degradation.

    • Importance of access to ecological heritage as a human right and importance to well-being.

  • Take Action:

    • Boycott:

      • Hotels/villas that do not provide beach access for ordinary Jamaicans

      • Hotels/villas built on the beach within 65 feet of high water line and in the seabed

      • Hotels/villas that destroyed mangroves and beach ecosystems during construction

      • Hotels/villas that construct fence barriers in the sea to restrict the local population access.

      • Hotels/villas that construct walls around hotel blocking visual to the sea.

      • Hotels/villas that are built on former fishing beaches

      • Hotels/villas that reinforce poverty by not paying a living wage.

    • Participate in beach clean-ups and ecosystem protection.

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