COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO LYON AND SPRINGER FOR

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 001622 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT. FOR WHA/CAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA BB SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO LYON AND SPRINGER FOR TRAVEL TO BARBADOS ¶1. Embassy Bridgetown warmly welcomes and grants clearance to Dr. Douglas Lyon and Mr. Dereck Springer to travel to Barbados from September 24-28, 2006, for the purpose of attending the Chiefs of Mission Conference on HIV/AIDS. ¶2. Per reftel, Embassy understands assistance is not required. ¶3. Entry/departure requirements: Mission policy is that all USG travelers to the region be in possession of a valid passport. Visas are not required for short visits. Visitors are granted up to 28 days upon entry, which can be extended through the Barbados Immigration Department for up to six months. Barbados has a departure tax of 25 Barbados dollars or 13.00 U.S. dollars. ¶4. The exchange rate in Barbados is two Barbados dollars for one U.S. dollar. U.S. currency, traveler's checks, and credit cards are routinely and widely accepted. ¶5. The following is general information pertaining to security and health considerations throughout 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 machines 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 if possible. Health -------------- 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 and the Grenadines 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 repellent. There is 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