Sapodilla Bay Vendors Kicked Off Beach; Fear Livelihoods Will Be “Destroyed”

In this file photo, Jerome Rigby, one of the Sapodilla Bay Beach Vendors, at his establishment at Sapodilla Bay Beach near Chalk Sound

Small business operators at the popular Sapodilla Bay Beach have been ordered to remove all structures, equipment and operations by 8:00 PM on Thursday, November 6, 2025, under an official compliance and relocation notice issued by the Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR).

The notice, signed by DECR Director Luc Clerveaux and dated November 4, 2025, directed all beach vendors to immediately dismantle and relocate their businesses from the current vending zone along Sapodilla Bay. It requires the complete removal of “all structures, items, and components” associated with operations, including temporary shelters, chairs, vendor equipment, and personal items.

Authorities warn that any structure or equipment left after the deadline will be removed by force and is subject to immediate disposal. Offenders may also face fines and additional penalties.

The order cites the Turks and Caicos Islands Beach and Coastal Ordinance and Regulations 2021, along with the Beach & Coastal Vending Regulations 2021, requiring full compliance regarding use of public beach areas.

Vendors Say Order Will Kill Their Businesses

The relocation order escalates growing tension between vendors and homeowners in the Sapodilla Bay area, who have been embroiled in a dispute over beach vending for years.

Earlier this month, several operators told NEWSLINE TCI that they fear the loss of their livelihoods if they are pushed off the beachfront, calling the forced removal a direct threat to local entrepreneurship.

Jerome Rigby, 39, who has operated at Sapodilla Bay for nearly a decade, said he and other licensed vendors have built the once-quiet cove into a vibrant tourist attraction.

“We’ve made this a destination,” he said. “People come for Grace Bay, yes, but they also want something authentic and local. This beach offers that.”

Rigby said the vendors, who provide food, drinks, water sports, and beach chairs, have faced constant pressure from nearby property owners allegedly seeking to have them removed.

“They’re saying we disturb their guests,” Rigby said. “They’re saying we deal drugs. That was years ago, and those people are long gone. Everyone here now is legitimate and licensed.”

Rigby and others said past legal efforts have pushed the government toward classifying the beachfront as a non-vending zone, making removal more likely. They fear they will be relocated “across the street,” a move they insist would destroy their income.

“If they move us across the road, it’s over,” he warned. “No one’s going to cross to buy a drink or rent a chair.”

Rigby also raised safety concerns, saying tourists carrying drinks or equipment across the main roadway would be placed in harm’s way.

“You’re putting people’s lives at risk,” he warned. “Where is the empowerment in that?”

The group says they are fully licensed and regulated, paying business, liquor, and park fees to the TCI Government.

Vendors say they receive overwhelmingly positive feedback online and through repeat visitation.

“We get 95 percent positive feedback,” he said. “People love the authenticity. Many come back two or three times a year just to see us.”

Beach is Public Property, Vendors Argue

Despite legal challenges and pressure from homeowners, vendors maintain that they are entitled to operate on the public shoreline.

“The beach doesn’t belong to the homeowners, it’s for the people,” Rigby said. “We’re asking the government to stand with us and recognize this area as a proper vending zone.”

Government Warns of Enforcement

In the meantime, the DECR notice states that failure to comply will result in forced removal of all remaining structures and possible disposal without notice or recourse. Violators may face fines and penalties.

The department says the action is necessary to ensure compliance with existing coastal regulations and preserve the public beach area.

Vendors, meanwhile, say they are willing to work with the government on regulation, but are begging officials to reverse course.

“We’re young entrepreneurs providing for our families,” Rigby said. “Don’t destroy our livelihoods.”