The Portmore Municipal Council has big plans for the Hellshire Beach. Keith Hinds, mayor of Portmore, wants to transform the underdeveloped but well-loved location into the Sunshine City's first tourist destination.

However, there is a roadblock. The beach is owned by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), which in 2001 transferred 10 acres of land at Half Moon Bay to the Commissioner of Lands (now subsumed under the National Land Agency) to be held in trust for the Half Moon Bay Fishermen's Co-operative Society. The UDC retains ownership of lands outside of the 10 acres.

Development plan

Hinds told The Gleaner that he has initiated discussions with the Commissioner of Lands seeking to get control of the lands. He disclosed that the council is framing a development plan for the beach. "That is my dream: get a tourist destination going in Portmore. Several of the areas in and around the Hellshire Beach could become a serious tourist destination once we put our heads and shoulders to the wheel," he argued.

If the management of the beach is turned over to the council, the mayor said the municipality would seek financing from various agencies to put in proper infrastructure such as bathroom facilities. Hinds added that the current arrangement of the vending stalls in the area would also be restructured.

After the improvements, the council would consider the legality of imposing a nominal fee to access the facility. Hinds believes the Hellshire Beach could become a much-needed income stream for the municipality. "The Portmore council is in a very sticky position, in that, it doesn't have a market; it doesn't have a cemetery, so the Portmore Municipal Council has to look at unique ways of financing itself," he said.

With all the ills taking place, Hinds believes giving the council the go-ahead to manage the affairs of the Hellshire Beach could turn things around. "We have enforcement officers. We have municipal police who can police the beach. We can look at the infractions, so I think we are in the best position to handle that beach," the mayor stated.

Patrick Watson, the Social Development Commission's parish manager responsible for the Portmore office, told The Gleaner that his organisation stands ready to work with any government or non-governmental group to bring about growth and development for the citizens of Portmore.

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com