New twist in Hopewell’s Old Steamer Beach saga

WESTERN BUREAU:

The National Works Agency (NWA) yesterday served notice on the persons claiming ownership of the popular Old Steamer Beach in Hopewell, Hanover, to remove fencing and columns that have erected on the property.

Over recent weeks, residents of Hopewell and the surrounding communities of Lookout, Orchard Gardens, Orchard Housing Scheme, and Pondpiece, who have been using the beach unimpeded over many years, have been questioning the authenticity of the claim of ownership by the persons who have been fencing off the larger section of the beach.

“The beach has been opened to the public all my life and I am over 60n years old,”one resident told The Gleaner. “I am very suspicious about this belated claim of ownership and the attempt to rob us of our beach.”

Responding to the concerns of the residents, the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) issued a stop notice on the claimants, who had constructed eight concrete columns as a part of their efforts to close off a section of the beach.

The residents also call on Andrea Purkiss, the member of parliament for Hanover Eastern, to join their effort to get clarity about the ownership of the beach.

Since then, Purkiss has put out a statement in a Hanover Neighbourhood Watch WhatsApp group, outlining the involvement of the NWA in the matter, while outlining plans for the development of the beach.

“Allow me to educate the community on a few key points regarding the Old Steamer Beach, also referred to as the Orchard Public Beach,” she wrote. “During the recent Standing Finance Committee of Parliament on March 6, 2026, as the opposition spokesperson on tourism, I questioned Minister [Edmund] Bartlett directly about the historic Old Steamer Beach, and whether it was included in the 2026-2027 fiscal budget for development.

 “I am pleased to confirm that Minister Bartlett affirmed that the said beach is on the official list of public beaches slated for [rehabilitation] this fiscal year,” she added.

Purkiss further explained that means development plans are already being pursued through the formal parliamentary and budgetary process.

“There are a number of columns encroaching on the aforementioned public beach property, and the National Works Agency has identified these as unauthorised structures,” noted Purkis.  “As per my conversations with the NWA, while doing a visit to the beach on Friday, May 29,2026, the parish manager informed me that the NWA will be serving notice requiring the removal of the columns.

“Should the instructions not be adhered to within seven days, NWA is authorised to demolish the structures in accordance with the law,” added Purkiss.

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