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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.”