Scroll to top
© 2020, Urban Development Corporation

UDC Responds to Winnifred Beach Misinformation

The  Urban  Development  Corporation  (UDC)  wishes  to  correct  statements carried in the Monday, October 16, 2017 edition of the Jamaica Observer’s North & East Publication giving it responsibility for repair works being carried out on the roads leading to the Winnifred  Beach  facility  in Portland. The report went on to allude to the winning of a court case between the Winnifred  Benevolent Society and the UDC.  

The  main  statements  attributed  to  the  members  of  the  Winnifred  Beach Benevolent Society pegs the UDC as the entity now “fixing the road” and further questions the whereabouts of sums allegedly collected to repair the road for which allegedly there is no documented proof. 

The Corporation would like to place on record that it has no knowledge of funds collected to undertake repair to the roads as referred to by the article. The  Corporation  wishes  to  advise  that  the  repairs  to  the  thoroughfare  in question, as referred to in the article, are in fact being conducted by the National Works Agency (NWA) using funding from the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF). The  UDC’s  only  involvement  is  through  technical  and  community  sensitisation support being offered to the NWA as needed. 

The  article  went  on  to  incorrectly  assert  that  the  ‘UDC…lost  to  the benevolent society in a matter brought before the court’. We wish to clarify that in 2015,  the  matter  was  amicably  resolved  at  mediation  and  through  mutual agreement  with  each  party  respecting  the  other’s  rights  and  as  such  a  Consent Order was  made by  the Court  i.e. there was no opposition. The Corporation  has granted  the  easement  to  be  recorded  on  a  title  that  Winnifred  will  always  be  a public bathing beach. It has always been the Corporation’s intention to develop the Beach for the good and enjoyment for all Jamaicans. 

The Urban Development Corporation owns Winnifred Beach.  We trust that there will be a follow-up article offering clarification as per the high standards of journalism historically resident in Jamaica.  

For further information, please contact:  
The Corporate Relations and Marketing Department  
Urban Development Corporation  
12 Ocean Boulevard  
Kingston, Jamaica  
Tel 🙁 876) 656-8031  
Email cr@udcja.com  
Website: www.udcja.com  
www.facebook.com/urbandevelopmentcorporation 
 
October 23, 2017