Benevolent society wants Winnifred Beach reopened
Published:Monday | December 21, 2020 | 12:06 AMNadine Wilson-Harris/Gleaner Reporter
Concerned that the closure of the Winnifred Beach in Portland will create further social and economic instability, the benevolent society that operates the beach has petitioned the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) asking for this decision to be re-considered.
The petition was submitted to the OPM through it’s website by the Free Winnifred Benevolent Society yesterday. Chairman for the group, Nino Sciuto, said those who make their living off the beach were hoping to continue doing so after a six-month closure. The beach was closed in August to curtail the spread of COVID-19, and was re-opened the first week in December.
Winnifred Beach is among 16 beaches and 19 rivers islandwide that have been asked to cease operation over the period December 1, 2020, to January 15, 2021. This is in keeping with efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
“In the hope of being able to start working again after almost six months of closure, several members of our community had invested in buying stock to reopen their small businesses, only to have them closed again only a few days after the Government’s official announcement,” the Benevolent Society said.
Sciuto told The Gleaner that they had purchased hand sanitisers, thermometers and printed signs to remind persons of the COVID-19 protocols.
“It [beach] is one of the few things available for the community,” he said.
SOCIAL INSTABILITY
Apart from the economic loss incurred by those who depend on the beach for their livelihood, Sciuto said the closure of the beach is causing social instability.
“This prolonged down time is creating a lot of uncertainty in the community because people are not earning their little [money] to survive every day and we are starting to have robbery of animals and people start to get nervous, so they start to fight each other,” he said.
Cynthia Miller, who has been operating a cookshop on the beach for the last 25 years, said she and others still try to maintain the beach even though they are no longer earning an income. She believes that a decision should have been taken to close the beach on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day since those are the days it is likely to be crowded.
“We don’t mind if it is closed, because we know people are going to come and it is going to get maybe out of hand. But after the holiday, I am just asking if they can re-open?” she pleaded.
She said there are at least 15 vendors who make a living from the beach, but several other persons have lost an income since its closure.
“We have the lifeguard, who this is what he depends on; we have the lady who collect a little contribution at the gate; that’s what she depends on; we have the lady who cleans the bathroom, that’s what she depends on; and you have the vendors here and you have the men who clean the beach on a daily basis,” she said.