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10 board members who are homeowners. They

have a separate team that deals with the gar-

dens, irrigation, garbage collection, security, and

exterior building maintenance. That company

employees about 120 people.”

Board members are not paid; they are ba-

sically executives that do the cerebral thinking

and help the management teamwith budget

decisions such as putting more resources into the

gardens or docks.Homeowners pay sixmonths in

advance for their common services dues, and have

total autonomy in this regard.The development

company earns revenue through different services

offered to homeowners, including housekeeping,

sales, rental, marine supplies, and fuel for boats.

Most Port St. Charles property owners hail

from the United Kingdom, with a less signifi-

cant number coming from the U.S. and Canada.

There is also some Barbadian ownership–com-

panies investing in properties where they utilize

the berths and rent out apartments on a long-

term basis.Only about 10 percent of the home-

owners are year-round residents; those who live

in Barbados, and vacation at Port St. Charles.

According to Austin, about 40 of the 156

homes rent on a long-term basis. “The owners

rent to expats, here on business. Some off-shore

companies, and institutions such

as First Caribbean

Bank, rent proper-

ties for their em-

ployees. Some peo-

ple live here five, six,

seven years, and some

PORT ST. CHARLES MARINA

of those, eventually, end up buying. One current

homeowner worked here for three years during the

First Caribbean Bank transition process from Barclay’s

Bank to CIBC, then went away for four years, came

back a couple of years ago and bought a home.”

Competition on Barbados is a given, but Port

St. Charles is uniquely situated, and strategically

planned, to hold its own. Austin says, “We are a

stunning, 22-acre property with apartments set on

the beachfront, and capacity to dock a boat nearly at

your doorstep.The Royal Westmoreland Estate has

homes situated right around the golf course. But, peo-

ple have to drive to the beach.There are other smaller

developments in Holetown on the coast, Speight-

stown, Schooner Bay, all those are set on the beach

but they have no capacity to moor a yacht.”