By S.Browne. Updated 12:14 p.m., Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Residents and vendors along the Leeward coast are being encouraged to attend a public consultation in Troumaca today on the Beach Vending Act 2025, as the National Parks, Rivers and Beaches Authority (NPRBA) continues a nationwide series of engagements on the legislation.
The consultation is being held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Troumaca Government School and forms part of ongoing public engagement on the implementation of the Act.
The NPRBA said the session will provide an opportunity for vendors and community members to receive information on the legislation, ask questions and offer feedback.
“The consultation will provide an opportunity for vendors and community members to receive information on the Act, ask questions, provide feedback and seek clarification regarding its implementation,” the Authority said.
The Troumaca meeting follows a series of consultations held across St Vincent and the Grenadines as part of the implementation process for the Beach Vending Act 2025, which was passed in November 2025.
The legislation establishes a regulatory framework for commercial activity on designated beaches through licensing, designated vending zones and enforcement by the National Parks, Rivers and Beaches Authority, with the aim of organising beach-based activity and setting clear conditions for operation.
The Act governs a range of beach-based commercial activities and sets out categories of authorised operations under the regulatory system.
These include the rental of equipment such as beach chairs and vessels (excluding jet skis), the sale of food and beverages, and the provision of personal services such as braiding and massage.
The legislation also applies to persons operating carts, temporary mobile units, and vendors travelling between beaches to sell goods and services.
Speaking with the state-owned Agency for Public Information, Superintendent of Terrestrial and Marine Parks Kevin Providence said the zoning system is intended to ensure “fairness and equality across all vendors” through the allocation of specific operating areas and the balancing of different beach users, including vendors, the general public and fisherfolk.
Providence also noted that environmental considerations form part of the framework, including requirements related to cleanliness and waste management, as well as assessment of the potential environmental impact of beach-based commercial activity.
The Act applies to 17 designated beaches across St Vincent and the Grenadines, including Barrouallie Beach, Brighton Salt Pond, Buccament Bay, Chatham Bay on Union Island, Chateaubelair Beach, Cumberland Beach, Indian Bay, Jackson Bay in Layou, Mount Wynne Bay, Petit Bordel Beach, Princess Margaret Beach, Questelles Bay, Richmond Beach on Union Island, Salt Whistle Bay on Mayreau, Troumaca Bay, Villa Beach and Walliabou Bay.
The NPRBA is encouraging vendors and residents from Troumaca, Cumberland, Richmond, Chateaubelair, Petit Bordel and surrounding communities to attend and participate in today’s consultation.
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