Law Firm Prepares High Court Action as
Prominent law firm O’Neal Webster is preparing legal action against the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands after the agency failed to respond to an ultimatum demanding an immediate halt to negotiations with a luxury cruise operator over exclusive access to The Baths. The development comes as the Trust prepares to host a public Zoom meeting to explain the proposed agreement, while Virgin Gorda residents organize community listening sessions to voice their opposition.
Prominent local law firm O’Neal Webster is preparing to take legal action in the High Court against the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands (NPTVI) after the agency failed to meet a formal deadline to halt negotiations that would grant a luxury cruise operator reserved access to The Baths and Devil’s Bay National Park.
The law firm, acting on behalf of Virgin Gorda resident Charlene O’Neal Henderson, issued a cease-and-desist letter on August 19 demanding that the Trust stop all negotiations immediately. Henderson is the daughter of the late Dr. O’Neal, the former private owner of The Baths. The firm set an ultimatum of 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, warning that if no response was received, it would proceed directly to court to block any unsigned deal or set aside an agreement already signed.
That deadline passed without any response from the Trust. The dispute centers on revelations that the Trust entered advanced talks to reserve access to portions of the world-renowned Virgin Gorda landmark for an unnamed luxury cruise line on nine peak-season mornings between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
The Trust previously noted that the operator’s identity would remain confidential until an agreement is formally signed. In its correspondence, O’Neal Webster emphasized the historical commitments governing the property. The firm noted that Emily Beale and Coleridge Waters sold the land to Dr.
O’Neal in 1954 with the explicit understanding that the Virgin Islands public would always retain access to the site. That principle remained intact when the Government acquired the land in 1987 and transferred it to the Trust. O'Neal Webster argued that while the Trust faces genuine financial constraints, the territory’s natural heritage must not be bartered away to commercial operators with deep pockets, warning that the deal infringes on public rights and territory policies against private beaches.
In response to mounting public scrutiny, the Trust scheduled a public Zoom meeting for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. to explain the proposed terms, answer questions, and gather public feedback on wider park management measures, including potential rest days and timed entry systems. Following concerns from residents that they might be restricted during the virtual session, a Trust official gave assurances that participants will not be barred from voicing their views.
Virgin Gorda residents have mobilized around the issue, with a group called Friends of the Baths organizing community viewing events under the banner 'Say No to Exclusivity.' Residents are gathering at local venues, including Fisher’s Cove and Gunny’s, to watch the Trust's presentation and coordinate their response.
Primary source: 284 Media