DUNCANS, Trelawny — The new Jacob Taylor Beach at Silver Sands in Duncans, Trelawny, which was rehabilitated by the Natural Resources Conservation Authority at a cost of approximately $3 million, was officially rededicated and opened to the public on Wednesday.

Formerly known as ‘Silver Sands’, the beach was refurbished in 1999 and renamed in honour of Jacob Taylor, a former employee of the Natural Resources Conservation Department (NRCD), in recognition of his pioneering work and invaluable contribution to beach control and coastal zone management throughout Jamaica.

The Jacob Taylor Beach, which was recently improved by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), was leased to new operator, Customs Caribbean Vacations Limited, under the Government’s Beach Rehabilitation and Divestment Programme.

The new operator for the beach is seeking to bring together the 12 craft producers who do business with the tourists, the fisher folk and the general public, into one entity. Customs Caribbean Vacations Limited has also pledged to offer the public free access to clean and safe public bathing atmosphere.

Speaking at the ceremony, Althea Johnson, a director in the ministry of industry and tourism, said that the ministry welcomed the opportunity to partner with NEPA on the development of the beach. The beach is strategically located on the north coast between two major resort areas, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay.

“A distinctive feature of the Jacob Taylor Beach project is that it brings together three community stakeholders; that is the manager who represents the private sector, the craft producers and the fishermen,” Johnson noted. “Together they are expected to co-exist peacefully by producing a fulfilling visitor experience. We all know that the physical assets are by themselves not sufficient to develop a world-class experience for the visitor. It is the people component that truly makes the difference. A high level of visitor satisfaction can be delivered only if the three groups take pride in the development of their products and exude the warmth in the delivery of their service.”

She urged the players to ensure that the visitors to the beach feel safe and that their experience might be a lasting and pleasant one, stressing that the facility has the potential to become an exemplary public beach, providing the right kind of ambiance for all who enter.