WORK on the Port Ferdinand marina and villas project has started and is progressing at a fast pace.A trip to the St Peter location on Monday revealed that two huge sets of luxury villas were well under way, while work on the bridge was also moving along.Chief executive officer of Port Ferdinand and managing director of the Jada Group, Philip Tempro, said Port Ferdinand would “be at the top echelons of projects in this country”.The project, which is entirely funded by foreign exchange, is bringing in millions every month.Tempro told the DAILY NATION the first phase was under construction, including the lagoon, all the offshore works, the bridge and the first set of units, the reception facility, the pool island and all the infrastructure associated with it.He said 12 of the 32 units in the first phase were being worked on, and they were part of the planned 88 luxury villas.With regards to the bridge, Tempro said they were completing the piling on the north side, before doing the north abutments, and then moving on to work on the south side. The bridge is expected to be completed by May.The project, which was launched in November, is employing 175 persons on site, and is expected to move up to about 350 people within the next couple of months. The first phase of the five-year project is expected to be finished by December 2012. (CT)