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PHILIPSBURG--The beach policy and maintaining public access to the beaches are the bases for independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo's request for a meeting of Parliament's Permanent Committee for Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication.
The MP seeks "immediate change" to the policy to include and clearly stipulate that natural and manmade beaches are public domain, are not owned by any establishment or vendor, and beaches must have proper road access for emergency vehicles.
All vendors or establishments providing beach services should stack their beach chairs and umbrellas and "provide them only on a needed basis" to guests and non-guests of establishments, she said in a press statement Sunday.
Chairs and umbrellas should be picked up after use and restacked.
Non-guests should be charged a fee.
The MP wants it stipulated in business licences that not all beach chairs must be placed on the beach at the same time.
Her call for the meeting stems from the public outcry about beachfront property owners restricting access to some beaches via their private property.
Committee Chairman United St. Maarten Party MP Frans Richardson, to whom the request was directed, now will have to schedule the meeting.
