Also known as Monkey Island or Princess Island, Pellew Island is one of Jamaica’s small, near-shore islands. Located just off the San San coast near Port Antonio, Pellew Island is an important part of Jamaica’s natural heritage and an iconic image of our northeastern coast.

The island sits at one end of a coral reef, which protects the San San Bay. It is surrounded by healthy sea grass beds and wonderful swimming areas. Jamaicans and visitors alike visit the island by boat, laze on the small beach, snorkel at the nearby reef and generally enjoy the gorgeous setting.

The current owners plan to construct four villas on the island. This is likely to result in significant environmental impact, both during the construction phase and afterwards, as well as the loss of access to the beach.

Immortalized on a 1950s Jamaica Tourist Board poster, Pellew Island is an iconic feature of the spectacular Portland coast. It was allegedly named for a French recluse, Jacques Peleau, who lived on the island at the turn of the 20th century on a diet of seafood and coconuts. He disappeared and was presumed drowned in storm surge in 1903.

In 1953, Pellew Island was purchased by Baron von Thyssen from Cold Harbour (San San) Estates. The Baron bought the island for 46 pounds as a Valentine’s Gift for his financee, Nina Dyer of New York. Baron von Thyssen married Nina in 1954, but they divorced two years later. She then married Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, who gave her the 11 acre Tiamo property and corresponding boathouse lot on the sea – right opposite the island, before divorcing her in 1958. She never built on either the island or the boathouse lot, but she and her guests travelled over to the island on bamboo rafts, which they then used to conceal their nude sunbathing. Local people sometimes called Pellew Island Princess Island.

The Princess committed suicide in 1965 and in 1983, Betty Estuvez, an American resident in the Bahamas, and a close companion of the Princess, bought the island from the Princess’s trust for US$7,000.00. Betty Estuvez sold the island to Beverly Barracatt-Haddad and her brother Mark for US$325,000.00. In 1996, the Baracatts sold a portion of the island to Kit and Roseanna Zweibergk.

The covenants on the title for Pellew Island prohibit “subdivision” but allow a hotel. The current owners plan to build villas on the island and have submitted applications to both the Portland Parish Council and the National Environment Environment and Planning Agency in this regard.

The Jamaica Environment Trust opposes the construction of villas on the island. While we appreciate that it is privately owned, we do not believe that villas of the type contemplated can be built without damage to the island and the marine environment. We have led the campaign to protect Pellew Island since 2007, coordinating a petition, reviewing the Environmental Impact Assessment, developing a legal opinion on the status of ownership of the foreshore of the island, attending the public meeting and writing to public officials to outline our concerns. As of November 2009, no decision has been taken about the villas.

• Extract from Verbatim Notes public meeting Pellew Island