Background of the Project

Over recent years the need to develop the beach facilities available in the Hillsborough Bay and Paradise Beach areas in order to firstly address the needs of the recreational and artisan communities and secondly to continually adapt to the ever changing demands of beach users be they locals or tourists has become increasingly evident.

Present basic standards for beach safety and ease of use demand the presence of safety and first aid personnel, waste disposal and bathroom facilities, parking etc.

These beaches named, whilst being the most heavily used beaches on the island as regards recreational and commercial use possess none of the named amenities and as such cannot command the continuous level of use that even approaches their carrying capacity. Further, in the intermittent periods of heavy beach usage as occurs at Carnival (February) and the annual Workboat Regatta (August) the ever present health and safety dangers presented by the lack of the basic amenities whilst being cause for immediate concern also threatens the long term viability of the beaches, the associated communities and related ecosystems.

In recognizing the urgent need to address this situation discussions held between the Carriacou Environmental Committee (CEC) and Consulting & Research Engineering sought to devise a framework for the improvement and development of the beaches with the medium to the long term goal being the attainment & maintenance of blue flag status.

Terms of Reference

The project proposed should at least address but not necessarily be limited to the establishment of the following.

The establishment of;

1 Beach waste disposal facilities -(both beaches)
2 Public beach facilities buildings including lifeguard posts and concession outlets -(both beaches)
3 Signage -(both beaches)
4 Parking facilities -(both beaches)
5 Fishermen’s landing ramp -(Paradise Beach)
6 Picnic areas with lights -(both beaches)

The improvement of;

1 Beach defense structures -(Hillsborough Bay)
2 Beach cleaning services -(beaches)

Management

A co-management approach between the CEC, Stakeholders and Government is proposed since it directly includes civil society in the process of protecting and developing their assets. Direct consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture through the Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs would will be needed as beaches fall under the jurisdiction of the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Capacity building in the form of facilities management practices would be needed to ensure proper management of any implemented programs.

Cost Considerations

After basic studies were conducted estimated costs for the design & implementatation of the project were found to be as follows;

Consultation & Design $63,000.00

Capacity Building (CEC) $20,000.00
Training & Provision of Resources
Grand Total $83,000.00

Caribbean Diving

Caribbean Sailing