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).
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