The PLC Inspectorate standing amongst the colourful vendor kiosks in the Vendor Village at Seven Mile public beach. (from left to right – Brandon O’Connor, Yuliet Rivero-Romero, Winsome Prendergast, Derren Burlington)

The Public Lands Commission (PLC) invites applications for a permit to sell or trade goods and/or services on Seven Mile Public Beach, following the Cabinet’s approval of the Seven Mile Beach Vendor Policy. Interested applicants can access the application form and policy by visiting www.gov.ky/plc

The Ministry responsible for Lands is eager to see the Seven Mile Beach Vendor policy implemented and the vending situation on the beach regularized; more importantly, to ensure a balanced use of the beach for Caymanians, residents and visitors.

The Seven Mile Beach Vendor Policy serves as an operational guide for the Public Lands Commission for the acceptance and processing of applications and the overall management of vendors on the Seven Mile Public Beach. 

Chairman of the Public Lands Commission, Woodward DaCosta explained, “The goal of the Seven Mile Beach Vendor policy is to facilitate the public’s access to a prominent section of the Seven Mile Public Beach system with the organized provision of food, beverages, and ancillary services. The policy makes a distinction for Seven Mile Beach vending, and now clearly defines the role and parameters of a vendor. It was important to establish parameters that strike a balance between the interest of vendors as well as the consideration for the good of the general public. The PLC aims to ensure that the beach accesses we had and have established, will be maintained and protected from now and forever for all Caymanians.” 

The PLC (from left to right) Woody DaCosta (Chairman & Bodden Town member), Ezmie Smith (West Bay member), Sharon Roberts (Acting Secretary), Teddie Ebanks (Deputy Chair & Northside member), Elsie Kynes (CYB member), Jon Hall (Former Director of Lands & Survey), Shanna Myles (George Town member), Shane Edwards (East End member) and David Fawcitt (Designate for Chief Officer of DAL)

Key takeaways for vendors from the Seven Mile Beach Vendor Policy include:

• Vendor application fee is $100
• Approved vendor permits are $75 per year
• Fees can be paid at any Post Office or the Public Lands Commission Inspectorate Office
• Cash, credit or debit card transactions are accepted for fee payments
• There are designated vendor areas for each vendor category. Vendor categories cover:
  • Beach gear
  • Beach lockers
  • Beach chairs
  • Watersports
  • Food and beverages
  • Food trucks
  • Local produce
  • Cultural wares
• Electricity provisions are available at the vendor kiosk areas
• Collapsible tents are permitted in the vendor kiosk area at the discretion of the PLC
• Vendor signage requires pre-approval by the PLC
• Beach chair operations are not permitted on weekends 
• The most prominent section of the beach should be cleared for residents during the week

While the Public Lands Commission is mandated to protect and regulate the use of public lands, the Public Lands Inspectorate supports the work of the PLC by facilitating the application process for the use of public lands, and by monitoring its usage to ensure compliance with the Public Lands Act (2020 Revision), the Public Lands Regulations, 2021, the PLC’s policies and the vendor’s permit conditions.. 

Chief Inspector for the Public Lands Inspectorate, Winsome Prendergast concluded, “The passing of the Seven Mile Beach Vendor Policy will improve our service-level as it provides a clear guideline for processing applications and a fairer and more transparent process of how public lands are regulated. I want to remind prospective vendors that public lands are for the use and enjoyment of the general public. Therefore when a vendor permit is issued, you can only operate based on what the permit allows you to do, as per the Seven Mile Beach Vendor policy.”

To access the vendor application form click here: https://www.gov.ky/publication-detail/application-for-vendors-and-non-vendors-permit or email [email protected]

To access the Seven Mile Beach Vendor policy click here: https://www.gov.ky/publication-detail/seven-mile-public-beach-park-vendor-policy

For more information on the PLC visit www.gov.ky/plc