ST ANN — Prime Minister Andrew Holness proposed a beach access and management policy in March. The policy aims to modernize legislation and increase public access in Jamaica.

Five court cases regarding beach access involve Mammee Bay, Little Dunn's River, the Blue Lagoon, Bob Marley beach, and Flankers/Providence beach. The 1956 Beach Control Act establishes state ownership of Jamaica's foreshore and seabed, requiring government permission for use or development of beach areas. Development approvals on public land now require developers to construct seaside access corridors.

Armed security guards hired by investors installed a fence at Mammee Bay beach in 2019. Security personnel fired gunshots to disperse protests at Mammee Bay beach. Devon Taylor, founder of the Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement (Jabbem), described the situation. "In protest, the community ripped down the fence and reoccupied the beach, but because of the restrictions on movement in Covid, you could not be there at certain times, and when they came back they met concrete walls." Taylor said. He added, "We call it plantation tourism because it has all the characteristics of a plantation – exploitation of a poorly treated labour force, and wealth that either does not stay in our country or is only in the hands of the elite."

In 2022, local authorities closed public access to the Blue Lagoon. Public access roads to the Blue Lagoon were permanently closed to facilitate private villa construction. Olando Brown, a campaigner, filed an injunction to prevent developers from building in the sea at Flankers. Brown said, "Why take away this beautiful gem from the people instead of trying to develop it with us?"