NEGRIL, Hanover — A brewing beach-access crisis in the resort town of Negril has been swiftly averted with quick action from the authorities.

“We were alerted this morning that the tenant — the gentleman who leased that section of the property from UDC [Urban Development Corporation] to do water sports — had erected a fence across for security reasons. Apparently, he’s having issues with security at the location. He started putting up a fence, thought it would help him, but it was obstructing the flow of locals and visitors alike walking along the seven-mile beach. As soon as it was brought to our attention, the different agencies jumped into action, and the fence was removed forthwith,” Chairman of the Negril Destination Assurance Council (DAC), Richard Wallace told the Jamaica Observer Tuesday.

“It is all good now, everything is back to normal,” he added.

The issue gained momentum early Tuesday morning when hotelier Winthrop “Throp” Wellington encountered the barbed-wire obstruction during his routine jog along the Long Bay Beach area. Wellington’s video of the encounter quickly went viral, fuelling public outcry.

“I found it completely ridiculous, because this is 100 per cent illegal,” argued Wellington, who noted that the fence ran from the side of the main road all the way down to the beach.

“This is a public beach; nobody owns it, nobody can stop anybody from going to and from. This is also coming from somebody who owns a hotel on this beach. I have no right to do so, nor would I ever want to. This beach has always been, and will always be, a public beach. And when I see something like this, my mind clicks and says, ‘This is how it starts’,” he added.

For the rest of the morning he agitated to have the issue resolved.

Immediate past president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce, Elaine Allen-Bradley, was equally disturbed about the erected fence.

“This is opening the floodgates for anyone else to come in and do it,” she argued as she pointed to the importance of rules and regulations being followed.

But businessman Diego Heaven who operates the Reef Explorer and Dive Centre explained that he erected the fence in an effort to secure his property that has been plagued by thieves.

“The intention is not to block anyone — locals or foreigners — from using the beach. We would never do that. All we’re trying to do is protect our equipment from people stealing them,” he told the Observer.

“We need people at the beach. I am one Jamaican who will fight for local people to use the beach. We even have free water, a free changing room and everything. What we’re trying to do is protect our property. Two weeks ago, they stole beach chairs and paddleboards from the property. A few months ago, they broke [into] my building and stole all my regulators. Over $3.7-million worth of equipment was stolen from here. Saturday night gone, they stole a paddleboard again and my beach chairs,” said the frustrated businessman.

Heaven said at one point he found one of the paddleboards and one of the beach chairs near the south end of the beach. This is near where he erected the now-removed fence.

He told the Observer he leased the property about three years ago but started fully utilising it after the passage of Hurricane Melissa last October. He said the first break-in took place two months ago. Heaven argued that while he has security cameras on properly, the area needs more streetlights.

“The areas that are dark, that’s where they will target, and that’s where we even found one of the beach chairs Sunday morning,” stated the businessman.

“No tourist is doing this, it is local,” said Heaven, as he urged Jamaicans to support, and not tear down each other.

Businessman Diego Heaven who operates the Reef Explorer and Dive Centre in Negril speaking with the Jamaica Observer at his business place in Negril Tuesday.