Dear Editor,

My little bike ride this afternoon turned into one of disappointment. The condition of our little stretch of Jamaica’s possibly pristine coastline is an utter disgrace. Between the private glamour of Golden Eye and Paradise/Bessa resort (to the west), the public has no proper beach where one could proudly take visitors coming off the plane at our now-busy Ian Flemming International Airport airport. The fish and turtles have a well-developed fish sanctuary, the public has none.

This whole piece of coastline was sold off to a private developer in the early 1990s. James Bond Beach, a well-developed sports field and entertainment centre, though private, was made accessible to locals in the early mornings until COVID-19 came along. Since then it has been closed. It was the only attractive place to swim, and now we have none.

The roadside is overgrown and indeed the road itself. Who is responsible for clearing the multiplying loads of dumped garbage? And the two iron hulks taking up most of what had become the preferred bathing area after a storm last year — who is responsible for getting them removed? The main road bridge railings are now torn apart, offering danger instead of protection.

The local authority has taken over Barracks Lawn, a previously well-used ball ground next to the police station. It is now “Barracks Bush”. The foundations of the pavilion, started by community effort, are now hard to find. And around the corner, the world’s smallest post office, despite Jamaica Post owning the extensive piece of land surrounding the old building. The library is still in rented accommodation whilst the spacious clinic annex, also owned by the local authority, is empty and falling into disrepair. An insult to its proud post-Emancipation heritage, the market remains an unattractive, underused mismatch of activities. Even the mini-stadium field is now uncut and surrounded by garbage.

It makes me hope that arrivals at the airport, St Mary’s airport, continue to turn left and go to Ocho Rios, St Ann. To turn the other way into Oracabessa would surely give St Mary a bad name. And I haven’t even mentioned the congested town centre.

Paul Ward

Oracabessa, St Mary

pgward72@gmail.com