COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR FARMER TO TRAVEL TO SAINT

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 001778 SIPDIS TOPEC SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC OTRA ST DO SC XL SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR FARMER TO TRAVEL TO SAINT LUCIA, DOMINICA AND ST. KITTS REF: SECSTATE 168910 ¶1. Embassy Bridgetown warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to International Health Coordinator, William Farmer, who will meet with Peace Corps staff to perform an assessment of medical facilities. ¶2. Post understands that Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean based in St. Lucia will arrange for Mr. Farmer's travel and logistical support. ¶3. Mr. Farmer's itinerary is as follows: Arriving St. Lucia at 8:45pm via AA 512 on 10/19. Departing St. Lucia and arriving in Dominica at 8:40pm via Caribbean Star 8B754 on 10/22. Departing Dominica and arriving in St. Kitts at 6:40pm via Caribbean Star 8B748 on 10/25. Departing St. Kitts at 4:10pm via AA 796 on 10/29. ¶4. Unfortunately, post's resources do not allow us the flexibility to meet and assist visitors at the airport. The exchange rate for St. Lucia, Dominica and St. Kitts is approximately 2.65 XCD (Eastern Caribbean Dollars) for 1 U.S. Dollar. You should bring enough U.S. Dollar bills to pay the taxi. U.S. currency, traveler's checks, and credit cards are routinely and widely accepted here. ¶5. Entry requirements: A valid U.S. passport is required to enter Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Dominica. No visa is required if your stay is under six months, including those travelers arriving with diplomatic or official passports. ¶6. Departure tax for St. Lucia is XCD$45.00 or USD$17.00. Departure tax for Saint Kitts and Nevis is $30.00 XCD (Eastern Caribbean Dollars) or $12.00 USD. Departure tax for Dominica is $16.00 ECC (Eastern Caribbean Currency) or $10.00 USD. ¶7. The following is general information pertaining to transportation, security, and health considerations throughout the Eastern Caribbean: Airports and Transportation -------------- Commercial taxis are readily available and reasonably priced at airports throughout the region. 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 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. GILROY