Save Bob Marley Beach & help family in crisis.

My promise to my father to protect this beautiful Natural unspoilt beach has been Hi jacked by a private company even though we a within our rights to live there, Help our family win our Legal Claim to Protect Bob Marley Beach.

Greetings to all Bob Marley fans and those who are inflamed by injustice in our world.

My family is undergoing tremendous stress as they are currently without basic amenities that are much needed, such as electricity and water. They are being forced to leave the land unjustifiably.

Free and Public access to Bob Marley Beach, along with the health and integrity of the local ecology, are all under immediate threat by an outside investor determined to build an exclusive luxury hotel. This appeal is to defend our land ownership rights, ensure the whole beach remains open for everyone's use, not just the select few.

We must “Get up, Stand Up” to stop the inequity caused by outdated post-colonialist laws that let commercial tourism overrule the rights of the public of Jamaica and the protection of its natural environment.

Not many of you would know about the beautiful natural haven at the foot of Sugar Loaf Hill, 9 miles outside Kingston, Jamaica. This beach area has a long-standing Rastafarian history and presence. It was occupied by Bongo Gabby (also known as Natty Dread), my father and the patriarch of the Ancient Nyahbinghi order who, along with Mortimer Planno, was responsible for teaching the ways of Rastafari to Bob Marley through mentorship. Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer all lived here with Bongo Gabby, creating music that has inspired so many people on this planet. The Wailers were all stalwart supporters of the longstanding Rastafari settlement, in existence since the 1950s.

I have been striving to protect and preserve the natural beauty of this healing beach for 30 years. I started paying taxes on the family property in 2008 and have fought hard against incompetence, ridicule, resistance, and mistrust. We need your help to fund legal fees as I am now opposing what appears to be a fraudulent purchase.

This feat of ours will protect the environment and the Rastafarian families living there.

With current existing laws, we are very concerned as the company’s proposed plans seem to suggest that the Rastafarian family will be encircled on all sides except the sea. Their plans also indicate that the public could only have limited access to the beach with the resort being fenced off. If the Rastafarian community suffer this fate, they could be cut off completely which could lead to the end of the long-standing Rastafarian heritage that influenced Bob Marley and the world.

Please help us to save this paramount, historical and mystical site.

We have initiated a court injunction to slow the process of land dispossession and buy time to raise public awareness about the principal protection of beach access rights and Rastafari heritage. This claim will involve invoking Prescriptive Rights to prevent the loss of access to the beach and the pursuit of Adverse Possession to gain free and clear titles to the land. Both are likely to be lengthy and expensive court claims for which we will have to depend on your support.

PLAN FOR ALLOCATION OF DONATIONS:

LEGAL FEES (attorney’s fees, court filings, etc.)

1. Application of Prescriptive Rights (as the only path to preserving beach access).

2. Court Ordered Injunction (to prevent the demolition of Bongo Gabby’s historical home).

3. Adverse Possession (to secure titles and prevent dispossession of Rastafari families).

4. Land Caveat (to protect against malicious third-party title transfers that would complicate the process).

FAMILY ASSISTANCE

1. Restoration of Water and Electricity (that were removed).

2. Property damage (to replace items that were removed that are important for their existence).

3. Food Security (due to disruption of livelihood).

4. Maintenance of the environment.

We have been very fortunate to have the help from JaBBEM (Jamaica Beach Birthright and Environmental Movement), an organisation that seeks to make all beaches in Jamaica accessible to Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica with general access rights, as well as rights of nature status for the beach ecosystems.

Giving thanks to The Marley Foundation for their consent to use the Marley name in this GoFundMe appeal and continuing Bob’s legacy of equal rights and justice for everyone.

Your support will bring balance to this inequity by protecting the rights of the Rastafarian heritage community, environment, and relatives of the late Bongo Gabby.

If we are to be successful with our cases, we will be looking to honour Bongo Gabby and Bob Marley to create a safe place where one can enjoy the ambience.

Contributions will be greatly appreciated.

Evidence of the negative effects of discriminatory beach access laws at work:

● ‘The side of Jamaica you never get to see’ (Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown) link to youtube

● ‘Advocacy group bats for protected access to Bob Marley Beach in St Thomas’

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20221012/advocacy-group-bats-protected-access-bob-marley-beach-st-tho mas

● 'Residents facing eviction from Bob Marley Beach in St. Thomas’ http://radiojamaicanewsonline.com/local/residents-facing-eviction-from-bob-marley-beach-in-st-thomas

● ‘Bob Marley Beach Residents Angered At Eviction Orders’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfVwW3aaNYs

● ‘Residents fight to protect access to Bob Marley Beach’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2XLKXTJet4

● Newspaper article from our attorney in response to Prime minister's announcement https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/attorney-leaving-bob-marley-beach-dispute-to-courts/

● Smile TV Jamaica interview with lawyer Marcus Goffe and JaBBEM director Devon Taylor: 'The Battle for Bob Marley Beach SmileTV' youtube

● Audio recording of a radio interview with Glocal Ujima FM on my website, www.afidance.org/bobmarleybeachnewsupdates: Bob Marley Beach News Blog

We thank you for your kind support.

Please sign and share the online petition at https://petitions.sumofus.org/p/savebobmarleybeach

One Love.

Norman ‘Rubba’ Stephenson

(Son of Rastafari Elder Bongo Gabby)