Mauritius Minister moves to reclaim public beach access

Shakeel Mohamed, Mauritius’ Minister of Housing and Land, has launched an initiative to restore public access to coastal areas that have been effectively privatized. The minister is working to bridge the gap between Mauritian law, which designates the shoreline as public domain, and the reality on the ground where access is often blocked.

Obstructions include fences, gates, dense vegetation, and signage installed by various parties, including luxury hotels, unauthorized occupants of state land, and private homeowners. Mohamed has conducted inspections in several locations, including Pointe-d’Esny, La Preneuse, La Mivoie, and Tamarin, to identify and remove these barriers.

During a recent inspection at Pointe-d’Esny, Mohamed was accompanied by the police, the Special Mobile Force, and the Beach Authority to clear vegetation and mark official public access points. The ministry aims to ensure that owning or renting beachfront property does not grant any legal right to the sand or shoreline in front of the property.