A/HRC/23/34/Add.2 2. Balliceaux 55. The island of Balliceaux (mentioned above) has become a place of pilgrimage. In the Yurumei Declaration, adopted at the First International Garifuna Conference, participants recommended that the island of Balliceaux be preserved and protected as a sacred heritage site for the use of future generations.17 56. According to information gathered during the visit, Balliceaux is a privately owned island, and development plans have been envisaged for it. Noting that any development plans has to be approved by the Government, the Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to consider the importance of Balliceaux island for the Garifuna people and to ensure that their relation to this island, as a site of remembrance, is respected and maintained. 3. Public beaches 57. The Special Rapporteur appreciates the Government’s statement that all beaches in the country are public, including those on private islands; meaning that public access to beaches are always safeguarded. The Special Rapporteur recommends, however, that specific legislation be passed making it obligatory for all private proprietors to provide a thoroughfare for public access to beaches. She further recommends that the Government pay particular attention to beaches that are accessible to the public by boat only, as this may constitute a clear impediment to access in practice. C. Support to artistic creativity and access to the arts and cultural heritage 58. There are numerous challenges in identifying, protecting and safeguarding the cultural heritage of all groups in the country, as well as ensuring that heritage remains part of a vibrant cultural life in a globalizing world. In this respect, interlocutors shared their concern about what they see as Americanization and Jamaicanization of their culture. 59. As in many countries, artists have a hard time making a livelihood out of their art, and face a paucity of spaces to meet, perform and practice. The Special Rapporteur notes that several projects are under discussion, in particular the Alba House, a training and development space for culture, which would also host civil society organizations working in the field of culture and cultural rights. In addition, the Government’s plan to establish a multi-functional cultural centre in Kingstown, which would host exhibitions and enable artists to perform and practice, is welcome. The Special Rapporteur encourages the Government to pursue its efforts in that direction. She further calls on the Government to support the development of such venues in the communities themselves. It is also important to ensure that meaningful consultations are conducted with the communities concerned as well as artists, so that centres meet expectations and are suited for cultural and artistic activities. Rastafarian organizations also have expressed their need for a space that could serve as a cultural institution. 60. According to information received, artisans encounter difficulties in their daily work, as they too need spaces to exhibit and sell their crafts. It is alleged that artisans in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are in a very unstable and insecure situation, and do not get sufficient support from the Government. While vending on the street is illegal in Kingstown, it is alleged that the Town Board illegally charges artisans 5 East Caribbean dollars (approximately US$1.85) per day for the place they use in the street to sell their 17 12 See Yurumei Declaration, 12 March 2012. Available at http://garifunaresearchcenter.org/wpcontent/uploads/2012/03/Yurumei-Declaration-FINAL.pdf.