COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO WACKOWSKI AND

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000937 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR H AND RM/F/DFS/FO/AA/CAA DEPT FOR WHA/CAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA OREP AFIN SC XL SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO WACKOWSKI AND BERTOSON FOR TRAVEL TO ST. KITTS AND NEVIS REF: STATE 86634 ¶1. Embassy Bridgetown welcomes and grants clearance to Stephen Wackowski, Professional Staff Member, Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (SCOM) for travel to St. Kitts and Nevis June 14-21, 2006. Embassy Bridgetown welcomes and grants clearance to Todd Bertoson, Senator Ted Steven's Personal Staff, for travel to St. Kitts and Nevis June 15-21, 2006. The travelers are observers on the U.S. Delegation to the International Whaling Commission's 58th Annual Meeting. ¶2. Per reftel, Embassy understands assistance is requested for a control officer, administrative point of contact, accommodations, and transportation. Control Officer: Shannon E. Runyon, Political Officer, Embassy Bridgetown. Ms. Runyon's contact information is as follows: email, runyonse@state.gov; work telephone, 246/436-4950 x2224; fax, 246/431-0384; and cell phone, 246/823-1938. Note: When calling Barbados or St. Kitts and Nevis from the U.S. the caller only needs to place a "1" in front of the area code. Do not dial "01" as the call will not go through. Ms. Runyon will be at the St. Kitts Marriott from June 15 to June 22. Administrative Contact: Lauren M. Bradley, Office Management Specialist, Embassy Bridgetown. Ms. Bradley's contact information is as follows: email, bradleylm@state.gov; work telephone, 246/436-4950 x2228; fax, 246/431-0384; and cell phone, 246/823-3984. Accommodations: Because of demand generated by the International Whaling Commission meeting, the Marriott is fully booked for the night of June 20. Mr. Wackowski and Mr. Bertoson will stay at the Marriott until June 20 and then move to the Bird Rock Beach Resort located in Basseterre ten minutes from the Marriott. Please see below for all hotel information. The St. Kitts Marriott also requires a deposit to hold the room for each guest. Post has used the fiscal data provided reftel to cover the deposit. The advance deposit required is two nights and tax deposit, for the first and last nights, and must be provided to the hotel within seven days of the booking date. The Bird Rock Beach Resort does not need a deposit and has marked in the confirmation that the guests will pay when they arrive. Stephen Wackowski St. Kitts Marriott June 14-20 Confirmation number: 80893578 Telephone: 869/466-1200 Rate: 125.00 USD plus 19 percent tax per night Bird Rock Beach Resort June 20-21 Confirmation number: 7017 Telephone: 869/465-8914 Rate: 75.00 USD plus 19 percent tax per night Todd Bertoson St. Kitts Marriott June 15-20 Confirmation number: 80894548 Telephone: 869/466-1200 Rate: 125.00 USD plus 19 percent tax per night Bird Rock Beach Resort June 20-21 Confirmation number: 7018 Telephone: 869/465-8914 Rate: 75.00 USD plus 19 percent tax per night Transportation: Embassy Bridgetown is a regional embassy located in Barbados. As such, the Embassy does not have any vehicles to provide transportation on St. Kitts and Nevis. Taxis are widely available on the island. The approximate taxi cost from the airport to the St. Kitts Marriott is 13 USD one way. ¶3. Embassy Bridgetown requests an outbrief be provided to the Political/Economic Section relating to activities while in the region within 10 working days of completion of travel. Please provide the outbrief by telephone, 246/436-4950 X2228, or by fax at 246/431-0384. ¶4. Entry requirements: Mission policy is that all USG travelers to the region be in possession of a valid passport. There is a departure tax of 45 XCD (Eastern Caribbean) dollars or 16.50 U.S. dollars. ¶5. The exchange rate in St. Kitts and Nevis is 2.70 XCD (Eastern Caribbean) dollars for one U.S. dollar. U.S. currency, travelers' checks, and credit cards are routinely and widely accepted. ¶6. The following is general information pertaining to security and health considerations throughout the Eastern Caribbean: Security -------------- The Regional Security Office has been in contact with the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis (GOSKN) regarding security for the International Whaling Commission meeting. The most recent information from GOSKN states that non-violent protests will be occurring. No other information is available at this time. 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