Carolyn Cooper | Bait and switch at Fort Clarence Beach?

On Ash Wednesday, I went on an excursion to Fort Clarence Beach. This was certainly not a day of prayer and fasting for me and there were no ashes on my forehead. I was going for the Guardsman Hospitality experience. I wanted to see the changes that had been made under new management. The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) did an extremely poor job of maintaining the property over so many years. It used to be quite derelict.

I had visited the beach a couple of times while renovation was taking place. On one occasion, I asked a rather official looking man at the gate when the beach would be reopened. He didn’t know. And when I asked if I could come in and have a look around he said no. I explained that I write an opinion column for The Gleaner and was trying to get an update. His response was, “I know who you are”. This was not reassuring.

I decided to take another approach and check out the property from the beach. As I approached the fence, while still in the water, a security guard with a dog came briskly towards me. But when he realised that I was not straying on land, but just walking on the beach, he quickly retreated. Perhaps, he, too, knew who I was. I noticed that there were piles of sand and some of the undergrowth had been thinned out.

During the renovation period, there was a ‘bright’ notice posted at the entrance stating that the beach would not reopen on the Heroes Day weekend. The public was invited to visit any of the other recreational parks operated by Guardsman Hospitality: Puerto Seco Beach, Konoko Falls and the Hope Zoo.

AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB

This was an invitation many potential patrons of Fort Clarence Beach simply couldn’t afford to accept. The full name of the Puerto Seco Beach Club makes it clear that it’s intended to be an exclusive venue. Only certain people can afford the cost of admission to the club. For children 5-11, the entry fee is $1,000. For 12 and over it’s $2,000. There is no re-entry. The fee allows access to the beach, pool, free wi- fi, restrooms, changing rooms, showers and, subject to availability, a chair. Patrons can also visit the floating water park for one hour.

A locker is available for a $500 deposit which is refundable when the key and padlock are returned. No food, drinks, coolers, chairs or umbrellas are allowed. If you are not ecologically conscious and want to visit the mini dolphin cove, you can pay $6,200 to kiss and touch the imprisoned dolphins; and $9,200 to swim with them.

Things are not much cheaper at Konoko Falls. For children 3-12, the entry fee is $1,000; for 13 and over, it’s $1,500. And, again, no food or drinks are allowed on the property. The cost of a Red Stripe beer is $500 but there are specials sometimes that bring the price down to $300. The cost of entry to the Hope Zoo is also quite high. For children 2-11 it’s $1,000. For visitors 12 to 59, it’s $1,500. And for senior citizens 60 and over, it’s $1,000.

NO RESTRICTIONS

Fort Clarence Beach is now open only on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. The entrance fees seem to reflect the fact that the renovations are not completed. It’s $300 for adults and $150 for children. And there are no restrictions on taking food and drink to the beach. This is the authentic Jamaican beach excursion.

I wanted to rent a beach chair which cost $500. But business was booming and not a single chair was available. I asked a lovely young couple, Aydeon and Sonya, if they could lend me one of their chairs for a few minutes so I could lie in the sun to ‘bring up mi colour.’ They readily agreed. Their generosity was typical of the vibes on the beach. I saw some partygoers at a table that was very well stocked with drinks. I asked what was the name of the rum bar. They said it was the One Link Rum Shop and the proprietor was Champ. We all had a good laugh. And they asked if I wanted a drink.

I’m wondering how long this ‘freeness’ is going to last. Is this a case of bait and switch? Once the renovations are completed will the entry fee be jacked up? I went to the beach with some visitors who live in the UK and own property in Barbados. They couldn’t understand why we needed to pay to go to the beach in Jamaica.

The irony is that ‘Little England’ is supposed to be such a conservative society. But politicians there understand the importance of recreation. All beaches are public. We have so much big chat in Jamaica. And yet we don’t stand up for ourselves on certain matters. I’m watching and waiting to see how things turn out at Fort Clarence Beach. And I’m prepared to give the devil his due. For now!

- Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a specialist on culture and development. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com