By Cedric Johnson, Gleaner WriterTHE QUESTION of whether the Bluefields Beach in Westmoreland should be a private or public entity, resurfaced and became a contentious issue at the December meeting of the Westmoreland Parish Council recently.
"People are being charged to use the beach; it's a public entity and therefore this should never be allowed to happen," said Luther Buchanan, councillor of the Leamington division, who won quick support from fellow councillors Laumond Senior of the Petersfield division and Bertel Moore, deputy mayor.
However, a quick rebuttal came from Councillor Oneil Anglin of the Whitehouse division (the area where the beach is located). He said no one is being charged to use the beach itself but at particular periods, especially during holidays, the facilities are rented out to promoters who charge patrons a fee to use them.
"We have to seriously examine this matter and take a strong stand on it," said Earl Brooks.
Mayor Delford Morgan said he did not believe a fee was being charged to use the beach itself and said that he would be inviting the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) to discuss the matter with the council.
More than two years ago, the matter of Bluefields Beach resulted in a quarrel between the council and the UDC, when the latter said it would privatise the facility. The council under the leadership of then Mayor Ralph Anglin announced that it was prepared to go to court to prevent such a move.
It took the intervention of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson to head off what was turning out to be a bitter standoff between both entities.
