A billboard displaying coastal works along the famed Platinum Coast of Barbados has ruffled feathers among residents and sea-bathers, sparking concerns that a private marina was under construction.
The project is taking place along a section of the beach at Gibbs, St Peter, behind the luxury Greensleeves Villa, now owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Andrev. While the visual rendering on-site has caused a stir, Government officials and the project manager have, however, moved swiftly to clarify that the development was strictly for drainage and coastal protection, not a marina.
The billboard, erected outside the Greensleeves property, prompted several residents to contact the Sunday Sun, questioning why major coastal infrastructure was being undertaken by a private citizen rather than the Government.
One Gibbs resident voiced frustration over a perceived lack of communication regarding Andrev’s expanding footprint in the area, which reportedly includes the acquisition of multiple luxury properties, a private school – Marinela Holistic School – and a greenhouse.
“When we saw the billboard with the groynes and this other extension from Greensleeves out to the sea, which looks like a mini marina, everyone started to ask what is going on because we know no beach in Barbados is private,” the resident said.
In a joint statement, the Ministry of Environment and the Planning & Development Department (P&DD) firmly stated that no application for a marina had been received for the site.
Instead, they confirmed that an application was submitted by Andrev’s company, Alsatian Investments Ltd., for alterations to a storm drain and the construction of a breakwater and groyne structure. This application was approved on September 20, 2025, following technical consultation with the Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU).
Read more in today’s Sunday Sun and Epaper at www.nationnews.com (link in profile) #MeAndMyNation #YourNewsYourTimeYourWay #TheSourceMatters #BarbadosNews
