Global Financial Crisis: Lessons for the luxury west coast and other high end projects in Barbados

"Investment banking has now collapsed, as it were - if you were wondering how that impacts the many, many hotel and resort projects that have been started in the past few years thanks to all that easy money flying around, well, look no further than Turks and Caicos. Here, the up-until-recently uninhabited island of West Caicos was slated to be developed into one of those mixed-use resort communities..."

Click here for entire nypost.com article.

Can Graeme Hall Swamp And Worthing Beach Coexist

"FOR MANAGEMENT of the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary, the sluice gate on nearby Carib Beach, Worthing, Christ Church, is a gateway to preserving the life of their swamp.

But for some beach-users, the door should be slammed shut on the brownish, brackish water making its way through the structure into the sea, turning off sea-bathers.

The controversial gate, which controls the discharge of water not only to and from the nature sanctuary, but also various storm drains in surrounding districts, was at the centre of dispute after last week's heavy rainfall..."

Click here for entire NationNews.com article.

Sandy Lane Weathering Economic Strom ... so far

"At the Sandy Lane resort in Barbados, rooms cost at least $3,000 a night in season and villas go for as much as $25,000 a night, with a required minimum two-week stay. Families that reserved there for the holiday season before Oct. 15 must pay 25 percent of the total cost in advance, and will have to pay the balance in mid-October. Renting a villa would cost $350,000 for a two-week stay, not including lunch and dinner. For now, the hotel is sold out. But travel agents are watching closely to see what the room availability is after that deadline..."

- more - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/business/04luxury.html?ref=business

jprkjr's Jentillia Trip Report

Click here to read jprkjr's report on her recent trip to Barbados staying at the West Coast beachfront cottage - Jentillia, near Mullins Beach, St. Peter.

Having Fun In Barbados With The Bajan Bears

"Anyway, talking of ‘splashing out’, those of you who are already familiar with the delights of ‘The Tides’ will know that the beach-front tables offer the best views BUT the best chance of taking an early bath – when the larger waves crash on the rocks just below their decking ! Today was just such a day when a large wave gave us a good cooling shower - so we thought we might have to eat our fish quickly before it swam home. We don't usually put salt on our food but we had some served up to us by the sea today. Luckily we had almost finished eating..."

Click here for the rest of The Bajan Bears trip report and feedback.

Boardwalk Update

"In terms of all the major construction, though, that is about 90 per cent [completed].

"The piles, concrete headlands that are to the front of this job, concrete steps, concrete revetments – we have pretty much completed most of those.

"The reason I would tell you that it is overall 85 per cent complete is that we still have a bit of landscaping and tidying up to do. The final project and how it would look in terms of the vegetation and so on has to be done..."

Click here for NationNews article and feedback.