Jamaica’s Beaches: How We Built Ourselves Into a Corner – and How We Build Our Way Out

There is a moment, familiar to anyone who has lived on this island long enough, when a road that once led to the sea no longer does. The turn-off is still there, but the space beyond it has changed. A wall appears. A gate follows. Security arrives. The beach itself has not moved, but it may as well have.

This is not a new story in Jamaica. It has been unfolding quietly for decades, shaped by planning decisions, real estate economics, and a national development strategy that once made perfect sense. What has changed is the context. Jamaica is no longer struggling to be noticed. It is now the Caribbean’s most visited destination. With that success comes a responsibility to reassess how land, access, and national assets are managed.

The conversation about beach access is often reduced to accusations and absolutes. Beaches are “sold”. Resorts “own” the sea. Locals are “locked out”. The reality is more layered, and understanding that complexity is the only way forward.