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Businesses fear being driven from Dover Beach by illegal actions and disregard for protocols

by Marlon Madden
6 min read
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There are concerns that businesses in the Dover, Christ Church area could close, negatively impacting the island’s tourism product due to the activities of a few individuals in the area.

Some business operators in the Dover Beach Facilities have expressed concern about the threat to businesses from the high levels of harassment and selling of marijuana even in broad daylight.

Moreover, people in the area said despite the mandate for masks to be worn in public places, people were still flouting that protocol, even in the presence of beach rangers.

When a Barbados TODAY team visited the location on Thursday, at least seven people were observed without masks, with some of them standing close to each other engaged in conversations while two bikers were revving their motorcycle engines as they rode through the facilities, two minutes apart.

Operator of the Johnny Cool Bar Lennox Jackson.

Operator of the Johnny Cool Bar Lennox Jackson told Barbados TODAY he was concerned about the impact the selling of drugs and harassment on the beach could have on the island’s tourism.

He also expressed concern that with individuals not wearing masks, they could put businesses in danger of being closed should there be the development of a COVID-19 cluster in the area, something he said he could ill-afford at this stage.

“We need some more serious patrol at Dover because there are people up in the tourists’ face every day without a mask. There is a COVID-19 person here at Dover and she even sits with them,” he said, though indicating that there has been some improvement “since the changing of the guard”.

“You could imagine with these people out here without masks and something happen out here, my place will close down and other places will close. The people that are doing the things don’t care because they don’t have any business to protect,” he complained.

Jackson, who said he has become “a target” and has made some enemies because he was standing up for his rights, also said he has been complaining “to the chief ranger for months”, but it seemed as if his complaints were falling on deaf ears.

“I have to talk because I don’t want my business to close. That is why I am speaking. Every day I complain about people being up in the tourists’ face without masks and is only from this week I see a little change now with a new ranger,” he said.

He said he was also aware of people stashing weed at various locations so that if they are held by police they are not held for possession.

Adding that there were some people harassing tourists on the beach, he said “Some of the tourists want to complain but said they are scared because they are here for a week, but they say there are so many of them”.

Jackson said many of the culprits “monitor the police” so when the police approach they are able to “outmanoeuvre” them.

Pointing out that the playground in the Dover Beach facilities was not sanitized, Jackson complained that from time-to-time “big men” sit down and drink and smoke weed inside the playground even when children were using it.

Echoing similar sentiments, one woman, who did not want to be identified, said the area seemed to have become “a ghetto”.

The regular visitor to the area said she was concerned that some individuals did not have respect for even the rangers as they rode their bikes through the area and revved their engines.

She also wants more business operators in the area to take responsibility by not entertaining the culprits.

Meanwhile, spokesman for the St Lawrence, Dover and Maxwell Association Adrian Donovan said he was aware of the concerns. He suggested the mobile police outpost could be moved from the nearby St Lawrence Gap to the Dover area to help with the situation.

Donovan told Barbados TODAY, “The issues of harassment, illegal drug activity, constant cursing and abusing of people who operate in the area cannot be accepted.”

He said there has been an increase in police patrol in the area and better lighting in recent times, but individuals were outsmarting the cops.

“We are not fighting against the old-fashioned criminal. These fellows now are sophisticated,” he said.

“If we intend to keep Barbados safe, keep our beaches safe and protect the people who help us pay our bills we have to go a step further. The government is trying its best, the operators here on the beach and the residents are playing their part, but the situation has presented itself now that we have to go a step further. Dover Beach right now is under threat from all of these criminal and illegal activities going on,” said Donovan.

He said he was aware that some of the rangers working on that beach were “afraid” and have indicated they were in need of additional resources.

Donovan suggested that as more businesses return to the St Lawrence Gap, Dover and Maxwell areas, maybe the COVId-19 Monitoring Unit should hire more people.

Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) Senator Rudy Grant said the Safety and Security Committee of his association continued to work closely with the Royal Barbados Police Force to address the issues.

“The issue of drugs is one that constantly has the attention of that committee. There have been a number of measures that have been put in place,” said Grant, who pointed out that the main concern was with repeat offenders.

However, pointing out that there has been an improvement in recent times, Grant said “There is a clear knowledge of where the activity has been taking place and there has been certainly, with the cooperation of the Royal Barbados Police Force, greater emphasis placed in that direction.”

“It is certainly not where, today, we would want it to be but I think it is a lot better than it was before. It is an issue that continues to have the attention of the BHTA.  I can report it is getting better but we still have some more work to do,” he assured.

As it relates to harassment, Chairman of the BHTA Geoffrey Roach said he believed it should be taken more seriously by everyone.

“If we are going to talk about incidents of harassment, I think we need to attack those issues not from a tourism solely perspective, but from a national perspective,” said Roach.
(marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb)

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