est. 2007

Barbados Underground

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Barbadians Continue To Voice Disgust At The Carnage Taking Place On The West Coast Of Barbados

Submitted by Sundowner

The Sands - Barbados West Coast Hotel

The Sands Hotel - Barbados West Coast

The Sands Hotel – described by BU commenter as a monstrosity!

I’m constantly hearing comments from tourists and residents alike regarding the construction on the Island, especially The Sands (see pics above), its too large for its spot and overwhelming from both the road and the beach, I’ve heard it described as a monstrosity/ugly/hideous…….not what the developers had in mind I would think!! One family said they wouldn’t stay on the West Coast again as it was difficult to get to a beach without transport, between The Sands and The regent there is no access to the beach.

Not all tourists are so well off they can hire cars, some have struggled for their ‘holiday of a lifetime’.

We swim occasionally at Port St Charles and have been ‘frowned’ at when we’ve swum under the jetty there into the ‘lagoon’! To develop the Six Mens Bay area would be criminal, like The Merricks project in St Philip, another stunning area of coastline about to be destroyed. There is no forethought in the ‘harmony’ of mixing tourist development and local development so they complement each other in some way, its all becoming a more ‘them and us’ situation.

The Safari and coach tours have lost another stopping point in St.Joseph, the developers at the old supermarket site in St Elizabeth Village have ‘hacked’ down to the ground the row of Poinsettias which must have been photographed by thousands of people every Christmas season, I can see no reason for it at all, certainly not interfering with the building project. These villas will have a great view, unfortunately the few houses behind will have a view of the villas.

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24 responses to “Barbadians Continue To Voice Disgust At The Carnage Taking Place On The West Coast Of Barbados”

  1. anotherview Avatar
    anotherview

    This is one ugly building. Did the Town planning approve this application?

  2. Bajanboy Avatar
    Bajanboy

    The building is certainly imposing, but it is not ugly. If one wants to see ugly, one only has to look around at the poorly designed, half finished, un-landscaped houses and apartments that are everywhere in Barbados. Why not criticise Barbadians who concrete every square foot of their yard, cut down tress with reckless abandon, live in unfinished and unpainted structures, have junk and litter piled in their yards, and who generally do not care about their surroundings. These people do more harm to Barbados’ appeal as a tourist destination that all of those developments on the west coast.

  3. David Avatar
    David

    Bajanboy you should consider interpreting the term monstrosity given the location of the building and the perennial debate about closing windows to the sea on the West Coast. To construct a building of the Sands design on one of the most scenic spots on the coastline is like rubbing salt in the wounds of Barbadians. Has anyone every travelled to Grenada, St. Kitts, and some of the other islands recently? The contrast is frightening!

  4. NO MORE MARINAS EVER Avatar
    NO MORE MARINAS EVER

    The Sands – a grotesque monument to flagrant greed, obscene arrogance, environmental ignorance and local insensitivity.

    Thus far criticisism has only been directed at the monstrous structure without placing the blame (accusing?) the “Project Management & Advisory” ignoramuses responsible for it.

    That’s now about to change;

    http://www.aaaltman.com/propertyconsult.php

  5. me Avatar
    me

    It is an ugly amd imposing building and it is too cloes to the road…
    very few of the condo developmnet projectys are aesthetic pleasing. I believe that in most cases the devoplers have gone for the cheapset most boring look.

  6. Yardbroom Avatar
    Yardbroom

    Barbados is in love with concrete, it labours under the mistaken belief, it signifies advancement.

    The development in Barbados has been a liquorice of all sorts. There is – as far as I can ascertain- no overall structure or scheme. It appears no one has sat down, with a clear overview of the type of dwellings which would be aesthetically pleasing.

    Only profit has driven the development… and I use the word development loosely here. Self interest has been the main consideration.

    How many developments in Barbados allocate funds to improve the surrounding area inhabitated by locals? How many developments seek to improve the lot of those whose areas they invade?

    They build up to the perimeter of their boundaries, and surround them with high fences. The message is clear, we are here but we are not part of you.

    A mental and physical barrier separates us and that is so, because we want it to be.

    For too long Barbadians have allowed things to happen to them. Very little voice of protest is heard. If you have to be taken advantage of, so be it, but be man/woman enough to protest. What has happened is our own fault. It is true some officials share a measure of blame. However we must galvanize ourselves into co-ordinated positive action.

    We will ultimately pay a heavy price for our unwillingness to act. History will not be kind to us. It will record a “free people” who had so much and bequeathed nothing of value to their children and grand children.

    Others will rightly say, “those people”, never achieve anything, or are unable to manage themselves. So the cycle of accusation to “a people “will continue.

    We labour not, if we we cannot labour for our own.

  7. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I wish Bajans would call a spade a spade.

    The rapid decline of this country started with the ascension of Owen seymour ‘drunken,money hungry’ Arthur to power.

    He stole,plundered mortgaged off and decimated the patrimony of a very proud hardworking people – the bajans.

    The media stood silent,the academics up on Cave Hill stood silent,the Church stood silent,the Judiciary stood silent and alas – so too did the people – they too stood silent.

    Not only did he sell off our lands and stole our money,but then he decided to strip us of the last thing we held dear – our identity – and our pride in who we are as bajans.

    Owen,’money hungry,drunken’ Arthur then decided to dictate to us that we are no longer bajans – NO – We must see ourselves as caribbean people ala CSME.

    When the people cried out he said shut up your **#** mouth – Yuh complaining – well lemme see wuh wunnah goin’ do when I bring in de guyanese.

    So in came the guyanese,with their immigration officers and all – and then de guyanese started cussing out de bajans and telling dem dey goin run de bajans from dey own land – and all the while owen saying ‘back -off de guyanese’.

    Well a new Emperor step in – Emperor David – promising to make a lotta changes – and de people watching and waiting but not for too long.

    Dese days lookin’ like funny nights hear.

    Have a Blessed and a Wonderful day yuh hear!

    AH GONE.

  8. Gabriel the Horn Blower Avatar
    Gabriel the Horn Blower

    Anonymous

    It is tuly an art to be able to write such delusional nonsense. Did you come up with this all by yourself?

  9. David Avatar
    David

    We witnessed with our eyes this afternoon tourist entering the Blue Tree Bar on the West Coast to make it to the beach for a swim. Almost every establishment has a fence and gate in position which blocked easy traffic o the beach.

  10. NO MORE MARINAS EVER Avatar
    NO MORE MARINAS EVER

    David – try going for a swim off the new Beach House restaurant (old Baku) in Holetown. You can’t.

    They’ve built a wooden deck that extends over the beach which makes it practically impossible to enter the water there and at the same time prevents anyone walking casually along the beach.

  11. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Some disturbing news is breaking with the recent disclosure of corruption by public officials. The agency charged with protecting our coastal areas may not have been acting in the public interest.

  12. Avatar
    Anonymous

    David

    From information I’m getting it seems as though some questions may be directed at Leo Brewster.
    oF the Coastal Unit.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    Hi Anonymous, feel free to email us with some details.

    NO MORE MARINAS EVER is sickens the BU household at what is happening on the West Coast.

  14. BajanPrince Avatar
    BajanPrince

    F***k The Sands, piece o’ shite. Screw Owen Arthur. Long Live BARBADOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. a person livin on earth in a country name barbados Avatar
    a person livin on earth in a country name barbados

    well i wouldn’t say the hotel is a monstrousity in design but definately when it comes to affecting people and ocean life. have any of you ever noticed how the sand has been washed away? this is more evident at mullens. every week i pass there the chairs,water and sand seem to be different. the chars are soon going to be in the road along with the water. and is it even good for the coasts to have so much construction. i remember when passin thru st.james used to be so intresting,seeing all the trees now the trees are gone but for what?? weren’t there enough hotels before?

  16. me Avatar
    me

    complain complain complain…

  17. David Avatar
    David

    @me

    Why do you refer to concern by some that our coastline is being
    affected by out of control development as complaining? In the same way
    you have your view shouldn’t others pronounce theirs also?

  18. Awe Struck Avatar
    Awe Struck

    The building does seem quite, large…dear I say, but for some reason when I pass it I am transported into another world for those short 5-8 seconds. It is sheer beauty. — In design..however, yes all this construction is hurting our poor lil’ island Bim.

  19. Mark Barnett Avatar
    Mark Barnett

    The answer to over development on the west coast or anywhere on the Island Is to get rid of the corrupt departments that approve the plans in the first place.

  20. Mr Andrews Avatar
    Mr Andrews

    I’ve just spent a month in Barbados, and the most impressive building I’ve seen is The Sands. I did a google search on it as I wondered what sort of prices the apartments selling for – and I was surprised to read the vitriol on here.
    Barbados is a complete mess – and its certainly not the paradise it claims to be. However, I think The Sands add some class and a grandness which remind me of the old French Riviera. Despite an unture comment elsewhere on here, there is beach access right next door to it – and it’s most likely the most well maintained beach access there is on the whole of the West Coast – there’s even a shower for the public to make use of. I find it shocking how little proper beach access there is – it’s as if the country wants to keep the locals off the beaches. So I salute The Sands for creating such a nice entrance for ALL to the beach.
    I believe that instead on complaining about quite wonderful grand buildings being developed, more time could be spent clearing up the litter that is strewn across this island. And how about someting being done about the vast amount of lovely buildings that have just been left to go to ruin that create such an eyesore all long the coastline?
    Most people come to Barbados for the beaches and the sunshine – but please do not kid yourselves it is paradise. However, when passing The Sands I do believe one is transported to a world of class and sophistication – and it’s imposing structure in such a small space makes it even more impressive to come across.

  21. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Mr Andrews

    In my opinion, the Sands is a garish monstrosity that is out of place architecturally, ecologically, culturally and even possibly economically in Barbados. But to each their own.

    One thing that is not a matter of opinion is the existence of the beach access. That was there for many YEARS before the Sands was built and was maintained by the National Conservation Commission (a public agency).

    On re-reading your post I can only conclude charitably that you were being sarcastic about the Sands.

  22. Mr Andrews Avatar
    Mr Andrews

    I haven’t been sarcastic at all. I’ve literally just returned from the beach at the Sandy Lane and walked past The Sands again – and I stand by every word I’ve written. It’s a wonderful building, far more impressive that any other run-of-the-mill apartment block built on the South Coast. The photos of The Sands on this site only show what it was like when being built. Perhaps you could spend some energy (instead of blowing hot air) in taking some new photos that show all the trees and bushes and well maintained gardens that surround the development? I applaud the people who have created, designed and built The Sands – and I see absolutley no merit or sense in anything you’ve written. I suspect you don’t even know what style or period of architecture the building is based on. I’d even go as far as to suspect you’re envious of those that can afford to live in such a building.
    Anyway, I shan’t be bothering to follow-up on this matter anymore – I have more important things to do than communicate with someone who obviously has no style or sense of history.

  23. abajan Avatar
    abajan

    Although I would agree that The Sands is a very beautiful building, it is simply not in the right place. There is not enough space for such a large building at that location. For one thing, it is WAY too close to the road.

    There must be very few people, architects or otherwise, who would disagree with this opinion. So it begs the question: How on earth could Town Planning have granted permission for its construction? The implications are disturbing, to say the least.

  24. Raleigher Avatar
    Raleigher

    What a beautiful building! Great for what Barbados stands for in world travel – a high end destination. Don’t see how the pros of this development could outweigh the cons…

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