COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO PICK TO TRAVEL TO BARBADOS

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 001130 SIPDIS FOR GH/OHA - OFFICE OF HIV AIDS (PICK) SIPDIS AIDAC E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: ASEC EAID OTRA BB XL SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO PICK TO TRAVEL TO BARBADOS REF: SECSTATE 107122 ¶1. Embassy Bridgetown warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to Mr. Billy Pick, HIV Technical Advisor, USAID to travel to Barbados on or about July 12, 2006 and to depart on/about July 22, ¶2006. The purpose of travel is to provide requested HIV prevention technical assistance to the Caribbean Regional Program in preparation for the development of forthcoming procurements in this area. ¶2. Hotel reservations are confirmed at the Coral Sands Hotel, Worthing, Christ Church, Tel: (246)435-6617. Embassy point of contact is USAID Officer Mary Freyder, Phone: 1(246) 228-8070, Fax: 1(246)228-8589. ¶3. Unfortunately, post's resources do not allow us the flexibility to meet and assist visitors at the airport. The taxi rate from the airport to the hotel is approximately BDS$30.00 (USD$15.00). The exchange rate is a constant $2.00 Barbados Dollars (BDS) to $1 U.S. Dollar. You should bring enough U.S. Dollar bills to pay the taxi. U.S. currency, travelers' checks, and credit cards are routinely and widely accepted here. ¶4. Entry requirements: A valid U.S. passport is required to enter Barbados. No visa is required if your stay is under six months, including those travelers arriving with diplomatic or official passports. For further information, travelers may contact the Embassy of Barbados, 2144 Wyoming Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone 202) 939-9200. ¶5. Departure tax for Barbados $25.00 BDS or $12.50 USD. ¶6. The following general information pertains to transportation, security and health considerations in the Eastern Caribbean: Security In the Eastern Caribbean, foot travel outside of well-established tourist areas is not generally recommended especially at night. Be vigilant when using public telephones or ATM facilities near roadsides or quiet areas. As in many U.S. metropolitan areas, wearing expensive jewelry, carrying expensive objects, or carrying large amounts of cash should be avoided. Visitors should also safeguard valuables while at the beach. While hotels are generally safe, many visitors have experienced loss of unattended items. Hotel burglaries are not uncommon, and all valuables should be locked in room safes. Health Information -------------- Throughout the Eastern Caribbean, the most likely threat to a visitor's health is sunburn. It takes several weeks to become accustomed to the heat and humidity. Prolonged exposure to the sun, without protection, causes sunburn and may ultimately result in sun-damaged skin or even skin cancer. Sunscreens should be used for protection. In Barbados, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent the major health threat is dengue fever, transmitted by mosquito. Dengue cases are most often seen in the summer months. Persons should therefore protect themselves with insect repellant. There is also a growing number of HIV/AIDS cases reported. The Eastern Caribbean enjoys clean and safe drinking water. Only routine boosters for immunizations (i.e. tetanus, diphtheria, and oral polio vaccine) are required when traveling to this region. Barbados has the best medical facilities of all the islands in the region and most of the medical specialties have practitioners here. KRAMER