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Attorney-at-law Dr. Marcus Goffe
Attorney-at-law Dr. Marcus Goffe says advocacy group Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement will be pressing ahead with its legal action against private developer The Woof Group, which is constructing a US$200 million luxury hotel on lands adjoining Bob Marley Beach in St. Thomas.
This is despite a director of the company, Donovan Reid, declaring that there is no forced relocation of informal settlers or threat to beach access.
Mr. Reid told the Gleaner that the claims are baseless and without merit.
However, Dr. Goffe is contending that The Woof Group has not used the proper legal channels to engage two families, who have been living on the land for 50 years.
Dr. Goffe was last week successful in getting a 28-day interim injunction in the Supreme Court to prevent the threatened demolition of the home of one of the families, referred to as the Stephensons.
A hearing date has been set for November 18.
Dr. Goffe told Radio Jamaica News on Friday that he will also be heading to the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court in relation to the concern about beach access.
He wants the court to recognise the prescriptive rights of the public to "access the beach and to use the access roads, tracks and parkways for that purpose in that area".
Dr. Goffe accepted that the advocacy group has been relying on some hearsay in its advocacy of the Rastafarian families, but insists that at least one has received persuasive text messages and phone calls from the Woof Group director, Donovan Reid, offering to help them relocate.
He argued that this action is "an incentive to bribe [the family] to abandon their land rights", instead of allowing them to go to court to "have those rights resolved".
Dr. Goffe clarified that the Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement is not against the proposed development by The Woof Group, but since the group owns more than 300 acres of land in the area, it should leave the section where the families reside.
"So, we are not saying that you can't do what you want to do somewhere else, but don't try and do it there by denying the people's rights and denying the public access to that lovely beach," he insisted.
'No attempt to bribe'
The Woof Group director Donovan Reid told the Gleaner that there was no attempt to bribe the families to leave the lands it purchased in 2019, and there is no plan to prevent Jamaicans from accessing Bob Marley beach.
Mr. Reid said for the last two years, the company has been in dialogue with the government for the resort development, expected to be completed in two years.
Mr. Reid confirmed that the company has also offered to provide support for one family, including assistance with relocation.
However, these have been rejected.
Mr. Reid went further to say that The Woof Group's approach to the community has been "sensitive", noting that plans are in place for vendors and fisherfolk.
The director said the development will give significant credibility to the southern coast of the parish and attract other ultra luxury brands with the multi-billion dollar Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project opening up St. Thomas to investments.
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