Youth debates: Public beaches: Must they be restricted

“No Picnic”, “No trespassing” and “Reserved” are some of the signs that can be seen in some areas of our beaches. Mauritius is known for its beautiful beaches but still local people cannot enjoy it as they should. The young generations debate on the issue.

Akshi Ootashna Radhay: “A common public resource”

Akshi believes that public access to beaches should rather be regarded as a universal right and as a common public resource. “The fact that people living in Mauritius, are surrounded by sea, sand (beaches), they are the most visited places by both natives and tourists; a place where people can unwind. Restricting access to those beaches are bound to have an impact on the natives. There should be a proper management of harmonizing ecological integrity in regards to beach access in Mauritius, rather than creating a barrier by limiting access to those beaches for tourists only.

The mostly alarming and saddening issue in question, in my opinion, is whether those hotels acting as (private property owners), can legally restrict the public from walking across their “private plot of land” to get to a public beach? I would personally say no! You can’t deny access to a certain area of the beach. Hotels overpowering beaches will only mean that only a privileged group of people would be able to enjoy those specific beaches. It would be an alarming issue, taking into consideration the fact that not all of us can afford to live in a hotel in order to enjoy the beach which nature created and is not man-made.”

Sidhi Radhay: “We should learn to share”

Accessibility to Mauritian beaches towards residents and foreigners must be equal says Sidhi. “It is very important to keep our beaches, which are our natural heritage, accessible to the local people. However, there are some beaches where it’s vital to prohibit public’s access in order to protect our environment and or if they are dangerous for citizens. But sadly, very often we witness politicians giving coastal lands to their few privileged friends at the expense of the common man. Giving coastal lands to hotels is good for the economy, as they encourage the growth of the industry and give it a comparative edge to attract tourists from all over the world.

However, the local people should also be allowed access to those areas because we can’t give our beaches exclusively to foreigners. We should however learn to share what we have so that we can enjoy the beaches and at the same time grow our tourism industry on which our economy is very dependent. So access to public is restricted by the tourism authorities to avoid social meeting places, avoid unattended garbage, and noise pollution at beaches.”

Yaadav Damree: “A catastrophic situation for our beaches” 

Today finding a place on the public beach is slowly turning into a catastrophic situation argues Yaadav. “The problem of being restricted to our beaches has existed for a long time, but now this issue is getting worse, with serious cases where many places are being restricted for hotels and tourists. Hotels are taking over many places, and today we are being marginalized in our own country. To defend this issue, authorities and government officials state that making the beach private and putting up hotels will bring economic development and jobs. It may surely bring money, but restricting our local people to our beaches indicates a lack of consideration towards our population. Privatisation of our public beaches is indeed a form of theft from Mauritians.

We must value, respect and protect our beaches as well as the rights of our local people all around the island. Many young people and elderly people go to relax on the beaches. Where will they go if there is no longer a public beach? It is good to have development and more job creation, but also one cannot rent or sell or privatise, because it is part of the maritime public domain. No access to the public beach for local people will surely affect our system of living, and it is high time government and other concerned authorities to take serious actions regarding this issue. Access to all beaches by the public should not be hindered by hotels or any building; therefore our beaches should not be privatised.”

Kevin Keenoo: “There should be a derivation”

We cannot put a price tag on our beaches, as we have a public right of access our beaches, states Kevin. “Where there is a right, there should be derivation, not deprivation, of enjoyment from it. The sad truth however is that those who are entitled to this public right are not those who are, in fact, enjoying the benefits of that right. On a regrettable note, umpteen beaches around the island have been invaded by countless hotels pursuant of tourism activities. Hotels have lined up along our coasts, set up their kiosks and equipment and have silently turned our public beaches into their business spaces.

The economic impact of tourism cannot dismiss the fact that our beaches belong to the citizens of our country. Hotels, restaurants and private homeowners should, if they wish to make use of the beaches, strike the balance between the right of the locals to access our public beaches and their reasonable use of the lengths and breadths of the beaches. While it is a responsibility they have to fulfill, the locals too have a crucial responsibility: not to disrupt the peace and not to pollute the beaches.” He further adds that “concerned authorities and ministries must intervene with appropriate measures, to ensure that our beaches are no more snatched from us and to ensure that Mauritians enjoy what rightfully belongs to them and that this happens in such a manner as not to disturb the peace and order of our beaches.”

Shweta Shreedam: “It is unfair towards local people” 

Shweta argues that preventing access of local people from our beaches is unfair. Coastal zones are of utmost importance to the economy of the country provided that a considerable amount of tourists perform their much needed leisure activities there. Thus, it is essential that a minimum standard is respected! The root cause why owners/hoteliers have such heated debates with picnickers/strollers is due to overpopulation of beaches at times: it is a real race/battleground when it comes to finding places to settle down on beaches. Moreover, beaches become recipients of land pollution and noise pollution. The only logical solution to control overcrowding would be to pay an entry fee...but that in itself is controversial because our natural resources should be free.”

Sebastian Mahomet: “Access should not be restricted”

According to Sebastian, Mauritius is famous for having a large range of magnificent white sandy beaches and blue lagoons. “Mauritians have to be aware that under the ‘Pas Géométrique ACT’, the beach is represented by a strip of sand located mostly all around the island. The strip band is public from the sea up to the point reached by waves at the high water mark which varies with tide. If they are in that area, they have the right to walk freely. Access to the beach should not be restricted in any places in Mauritius. It is the law and we have to abide by it. An agreement must be reached between the hotels and the local population. Hopefully there are some examples where hotels are negotiating with the local population and are working hand in hand in a sustainable way.”