Growing unease over the pace and direction of tourism development on the west coast reignited in Holetown on Tuesday, as residents, tourists and political figures pressed for greater public consultation on projects that could reshape the coastline, including proposals affecting the Holetown Civic Centre site.
Long-stay visitors joined residents for an open beach discussion near Surfside, highlighting what many described as a struggle to balance investment with preservation along one of the nation’s most heavily developed stretches.
The Holetown Civic Centre has been at the centre of sustained public discussion in recent months, following reports and parliamentary exchanges suggesting the beachfront property could be removed to facilitate private hotel development. The issue has prompted questions about the future of public assets, access to the coastline and the level of community involvement in major tourism decisions.
Founder of Preserve Barbados, Susan Cole, said the gathering was intended to surface shared values between locals and repeat visitors, many of whom return to the island year after year, particularly during the Christmas season.
“There’s a unique thing here where people come back every year for 20 years, 30 years, especially around Christmas time,” Cole said. “I wanted to capture why they come back and make sure that that is out there, because it would be a shame if what they come back for is eroded.”
Cole stressed that the discussion was not about opposing development outright, but about how and where development occurs.
“This is a very busy commercial island and it has to move with the times, but in a responsible way,” she said.
She pointed to planning approaches used in the United Kingdom, where development is often prioritised on previously used land rather than untouched coastal areas, noting that “these concepts would resonate with visitors, and I think Barbadians would appreciate it as well because these beaches belong to everybody.”
Cole warned that large, all-inclusive hotel developments could alter the character of the west coast and weaken Barbados’ competitive advantage.
“It’s very questionable because does that bring income? Do the visitors like it? What kind of person will it bring?” she asked. “If it’s similar to what they would get in Cancun, why come here and pay Barbados prices?”
She added that gradual losses of familiar public spaces could have long-term consequences.
“If those little things get taken away one by one, will they say, ‘You know what, let’s just go somewhere else?’” Cole said.
Also addressing reporters at the gathering was Kemar Stuart, leader of the New National Party, who framed the issue as one of policy direction rather than isolated development disputes.
“We spend a lot of resources in the tourism ministry to develop tourism as our main foreign exchange earner,” Stuart said. “So therefore, if you’re building a market for tourists, you should develop with the expectation that they will have some type of say, given the fact that they contribute to the Barbados economy.”
He cautioned that unchecked development could undermine the very product the island depends on.
“Overdevelopment can possibly lead to the downward slide of tourism, taking away the natural beauty of the area and changing the landscape of what we have to offer,” Stuart declared.
Stuart also linked the concerns directly to the Holetown Civic Centre site, noting its status as a public asset.
“This is a site that has public assets on it,” he said. “To move public assets in favour of a private venture for a private developer, again putting profit before people and profit before country, is a concept that we have to relook.”
He warned against limiting public access to the coastline.
“We cannot close all of the windows to the sea in Barbados,” Stuart said. “We must maintain that, because we don’t want the concept of private beaches happening in Barbados at any point in time.”
Like Cole, Stuart repeated the call for broader public engagement and more consistent consultation around major coastal projects before final decisions are made.
(SM)
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