After weeks of temporary closure for critical infrastructure repairs, Trinidad and Tobago’s Macqueripe Bay in Chaguaramas has officially welcomed back visitors, with local families flocking to the popular coastal spot to enjoy the newly renovated amenities on Tuesday.
The Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) first shuttered the beach facility back on May 11, launching a project to replace the site’s decaying original wooden handrails with a new sturdier metal structure. At the time of the closure announcement, the CDA emphasized that the temporary shutdown was a non-negotiable safety measure to protect all patrons and out-of-town visitors.
When a local reporter from the Express visited the newly reopened site on Tuesday, many beachgoers expressed clear approval for the completed railing upgrade, noting the tangible improvement to the site’s safety and appearance. Still, many visitors also pointed out that multiple aging and hazardous areas across the facility continue to go unaddressed—most notably a large unmarked, unbarriered hole located directly along the beachfront that poses a major risk to visitors.
Nasser Khan, an award-winning journalist and frequent Macqueripe Bay visitor who toured the site with his family this week, shared that he was pleased the long-awaited railing repairs were finally complete. For years, Khan has repeatedly submitted formal requests to the CDA calling for facility upgrades, as decaying infrastructure at the beloved coastal spot has been a top complaint among regular visitors for decades. That said, Khan raised pressing questions about whether the new metal railing is built to withstand the harsh tropical marine environment, where constant exposure to salt spray and high humidity causes rapid corrosion of unprotected materials.
“The upgrade has been a long time coming, but better late than never,” Khan explained. “From a quick look it looks fantastic. My only real hope is that the CDA chose materials that can hold up to these conditions—salt and moisture cause severe rusting here, that’s why the old wooden railing rotted away completely. The new metal option looks good, it works well, and I really hope it lasts and receives regular upkeep moving forward.”
Khan described Macqueripe Bay as one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most underappreciated natural treasures, adding that chronic under-maintenance has been a persistent problem plaguing the popular recreational site for years. “Macqueripe is genuinely a paradise right here. For years, it got almost no regular maintenance. I’m hoping this railing upgrade is just the first step toward more consistent care for this facility.”
For some visitors, the timing of the reopening could not have been better. One family from San Juan chose the newly reopened beach as the spot to celebrate a family birthday. “When we found out it was reopening the same week as our celebration, we were thrilled,” said Thomas Sylvester, the group’s organizer. “We love coming down here whenever we can, it’s such a beautiful beach. We just hope they keep up the good work going forward.”
Another frequent visitor, Clyde Barnes, echoed Khan’s calls for additional upgrades and repairs across the facility. “The CDA should add shaded huts and picnic tables under the existing tree canopy for visitors to use,” Barnes noted. “I understand they may have bigger plans for future upgrades, but that gaping hole on the beachfront needs to be fixed right away—it’s a serious safety hazard.”
As of Thursday, multiple requests for comment from the CDA regarding visitors’ additional concerns and future plans for the facility have not received a response.