Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Oct 30, 2025

Unapproved activities on VI beaches will be shut down– Hon Turnbull warns

Unapproved activities on VI beaches will be shut down– Hon Turnbull warns

Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Hon Melvin M. Turbull (R2) has warned against unauthorised use of beaches for commercial and non-commercial activities, which he says continues on beaches at Cane Garden Bay, Long Bay and Beef Island.

During a statement at the Second Sitting of the Fifth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly at Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom on January 26, 2023, Hon Turnbull reminded that the Ministry has had a long-standing practice of requiring permission for all commercial uses and certain non-commercial uses of the beach.

Policy formalized in 2020 - Hon Turnbull

“That practice was formalized as policy in 2020 with Cabinet’s approval of The Virgin Islands Beach Policy, which is available on the Ministry’s website,” he said.

Hon Turnbull added that the local Beach Policy requires that persons apply to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour for permission to use beaches for any commercial activity, regardless of the size of the operation, presence or absence of a structure, type of structure, or whether it is a temporary or permanent operation.

“This applies to all bar or restaurant operations, snack vending, souvenir or craft vending, beach chair rental, water sport operations, other nature-based activities, hair braiding services, spa/massage services, or any other activity involving the sale of goods or services at the beach,” he said.

He said the Policy also requires the Ministry’s approval of non-commercial activities in cases where there would be groups larger than 50 persons, loudspeakers, or open fires. Madam Speaker, this may include, for example, large or loud private parties or barbeques, public entertainment events, sporting events, family reunions, camping, church events, corporate events, cultural events, and so on.

“Madam Speaker, the Ministry is aware that many persons and organisations are carrying out commercial activities and non-commercial events on beaches without the required permission. In carrying out these activities, in addition to violating the Beach Policy, in many instances, persons are building structures on the beach illegally and even squatting on Crown land. Persons are also operating without basic legal requirements like a trade licence, liquor licence, and food handler’s licence,” he added.

Permission required - Hon Turnbull

Hon Turnbull related that, in addition to requiring permission for use as outlined above, the Beach Policy sets out parameters within which persons must operate to ensure the protection of the beach and the enjoyment of all users. For example, the Policy states that no equipment or beach chairs should remain on the sandy area of the beach unless they are in use.

“Madam Speaker, one reason for my intervention today is to again make the public aware of the requirements to apply for permission to use beaches for any commercial activity as well as non-commercial uses in cases where there would be groups larger than 50 persons, loudspeakers or open fires, and to remind persons of other requirements around beach use, set out in the Beach Policy."

He said for persons violating policies, the Ministry will work to collaborate with the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, the Town and Country Planning Department, Trade Department, the Attorney General’s Chambers, and other relevant authorities to uphold the Beach Policy and enforce all applicable legislation, which means unapproved events and commercial activities on VI’s beaches will be shut down.

Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2) related that, in addition to requiring permission for use of beaches, the Beach Policy sets out parameters within which persons must operate to ensure the protection of the beach and the enjoyment of all users, for example, the Policy states that no equipment or beach chairs should remain on the sandy area of the beach unless they are in use.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
UK and Vietnam Sign Landmark Migration Deal to Fast-Track Returns of Irregular Arrivals
UK Drug-Pricing Overhaul Essential for Life-Sciences Ambition, Says GSK Chief
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Temporarily Leave the UK Amid Their Parents’ Royal Fallout
UK Weighs Early End to Oil and Gas Windfall Tax as Reeves Seeks Investment Commitments
UK Retail Inflation Slows as Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since Spring
Next Raises Full-Year Profit Guidance After Strong Third-Quarter Performance
Reform UK’s Lee Anderson Admits to 'Gaming' Benefits System While Advocating Crackdown
United States and South Korea Conclude Major Trade Accord Worth $350 Billion
Hurricane Melissa Strikes Cuba After Devastating Jamaica With Record Winds
Vice President Vance to Headline Turning Point USA Campus Event at Ole Miss
U.S. Targets Maritime Narco-Routes While Border Pressure to Mexico Remains Limited
Bill Gates at 70: “I Have a Real Fear of Artificial Intelligence – and Also Regret”
Elon Musk Unveils Grokipedia: An AI-Driven Alternative to Wikipedia
Saudi Arabia Unveils Vision for First-Ever "Sky Stadium" Suspended Over Desert Floor
Amazon Announces 14 000 Corporate Job Cuts as AI Investment Accelerates
UK Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since March, Food Leads the Decline
London Stock Exchange Group ADR (LNSTY) Earns Zacks Rank #1 Upgrade on Rising Earnings Outlook
Soap legend Tony Adams, long-time star of Crossroads, dies at 84
Rachel Reeves Signals Tax Increases Ahead of November Budget Amid £20-50 Billion Fiscal Gap
NatWest Past Gains of 314% Spotlight Opportunity — But Some Key Risks Remain
UK Launches ‘Golden Age’ of Nuclear with £38 Billion Sizewell C Approval
UK Announces £1.08 Billion Budget for Offshore Wind Auction to Boost 2030 Capacity
UK Seeks Steel Alliance with EU and US to Counter China’s Over-Capacity
UK Struggles to Balance China as Both Strategic Threat and Valued Trading Partner
Argentina’s Markets Surge as Milei’s Party Secures Major Win
British Journalist Sami Hamdi Detained by U.S. Authorities After Visa Revocation Amid Israel-Gaza Commentary
King Charles Unveils UK’s First LGBT+ Armed Forces Memorial at National Memorial Arboretum
At ninety-two and re-elected: Paul Biya secures eighth term in Cameroon amid unrest
Racist Incidents Against UK Nurses Surge by 55%
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves Cites Shared Concerns With Trump Administration as Foundation for Early US-UK Trade Deal
Essentra plc: A Closer Look at a UK ‘Penny Stock’ Opportunity Amid Market Weakness
U.S. and China Near Deal to Avert Rare-Earth Export Controls Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit
Justin time: Justin Herbert Shields Madison Beer with Impressive Reflex at Lakers Game
Russia’s President Putin Declares Burevestnik Nuclear Cruise Missile Ready for Deployment
Giuffre’s Memoir Alleges Maxwell Claimed Sexual Act with Clooney
House Republicans Move to Strip NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Zohran Mamdani of U.S. Citizenship
Record-High Spoiled Ballots Signal Voter Discontent in Ireland’s 2025 Presidential Election
Philippines’ Taal Volcano Erupts Overnight with 2.4 km Ash Plume
Albania’s Virtual AI 'Minister' Diella Set to 'Birth' Eighty-Three Digital Assistants for MPs
Tesla Unveils Vision for Optimus V3 as ‘Biggest Product of All Time’, Including Surgical Capabilities
Francis Ford Coppola Auctions Luxury Watches After Self-Financed Film Flop
Convicted Sex Offender Mistakenly Freed by UK Prison Service Arrested in London
United States and China Begin Constructive Trade Negotiations Ahead of Trump–Xi Summit
U.S. Treasury Sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro over Drug-Trafficking Allegations
Miss USA Crowns Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert Amid Leadership Overhaul
‘I Am Not Done’: Kamala Harris Signals Possible 2028 White House Run
NBA Faces Integrity Crisis After Mass Arrests in Gambling Scandal
Swift Heist at the Louvre Sees Eight French Crown Jewels Stolen in Under Seven Minutes
U.S. Halts Trade Talks with Canada After Ontario Ad Using Reagan Voice Triggers Diplomatic Fallout
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
×