Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BRIDGETOWN899
2007-07-13 20:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bridgetown
Cable title:  

COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO MERCADO AND MARSTELLER FOR

Tags:  ASEC OTRA BB ST XL 
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VZCZCXYZ0022
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWN #0899/01 1942049
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 132049Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RHMFIUU/NAVCRIMINVSERVFO SOUTHEAST MAYPORT FL
INFO RUEHFR/USDAO PARIS FR
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL
RUCCFWA/DIRNAVCRIMINVSERV WASHINGTON DC//0022/0021/0025//
RHFJFYW/CTF 43
RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC
RULGPUA/COMUSNAVSO //N2/N2-SCIO/N3//
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-5//
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5079
UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000899 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC OTRA BB ST XL
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO MERCADO AND MARSTELLER FOR
TRAVEL TO BARBADOS AND SAINT LUCIA

REF: 091655Z JUL 07

UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000899

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC OTRA BB ST XL
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED TO MERCADO AND MARSTELLER FOR
TRAVEL TO BARBADOS AND SAINT LUCIA

REF: 091655Z JUL 07


1. Embassy Bridgetown warmly welcomes and grants country clearance
to Mr. Rafael J. Mercado, Special Agent, NCIS, and Ms. Suzanne M.
Marsteller, Special Agent, NCIS, for travel to Barbados from July 15
- 17, 2007 and to Saint Lucia from July 17 - 18, 2007. The purpose
of this mission is to meet with USMLO, RSO, and host nations' law
enforcement and port officials and also to conduct on-scene
assessments and update the NCIS Defense Threat Assessments (DTA) for
Barbados and Saint Lucia.


2. The United States Military Liaison Office (USMLO) and Regional
Security Office are located at the United States Embassy Barbados,
Wildey Business Park, Wildey, Saint Michael. A USMLO representative
will accompany the travelers to the Barbados appointment at the
Barbados Port Inc. The following appointments have been confirmed:

For Barbados
--------------
Appointment with Mr. Anthony Benn, Chief of Port Security, Barbados
Port Inc. has been confirmed for Monday, July 16, 2007 at 9:30 am at
the Barbados Port Inc. Office. Contact numbers for Mr. Benn are
(246) 430-4700 (office) and (246) 233-7727 (cell).

Appointment with LCDR Rene Cerda, Deputy Chief, USMLO, and Mr.
Robert Starnes, RSO, has been confirmed for Monday, July 16, 2007 at
11:00 am at the U.S Embassy.

For Saint Lucia
--------------
Appointment with the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force Commissioner has
been confirmed for Wednesday, July 18, 2007 at 1:30 pm. Contact
numbers are (758) 456-3701 or (758) 456-3702.

Appointment with Mr. Kenneth Francis, Chief of Port Security,
Castries Port Authority has been confirmed for Wednesday, July 18,
2007 at 9:00 am. Contact numbers for Mr. Francis are (758) 285-0354
(office) and (758) 714-9444 (cell).


3. Embassy points of contact are CDR P. Kofi Aboagye, Chief,
Military Liaison Office, (246) 227-4339 or cell (246) 230-2705; LCDR
Rene Cerda, Deputy Chief, Military Liaison Office, (246) 227-4166 or
cell (246) 230-2712; Major Rachelle Harris, Operations Officer,
(246) 227-4123 or cell (246) 230-2725; Mr. Robert Starnes, Regional
Security Officer, (246) 227-4135 or cell (246) 823-4436; and Mr.
Eric Freeman, Assistant Regional Security Officer, (246) 227-4173 or
cell (246) 826-1164.



4. Hotel reservations have been confirmed for travelers at the
Hilton Barbados, Needham's Point, Saint Michael, Barbados, tel.
1-246-426-0200. Hotel confirmation numbers are 118557 for Mr.
Mercado and 118558 for Ms. Marsteller. Hotel reservations have been
confirmed for travelers at the Bay Gardens Hotel, Castries, Saint
Lucia, tel. 1-758-457-8007. Hotel confirmation numbers are 44017 for
Mr. Mercado and 44375 for Ms. Marsteller.


5. Post's resources do not allow us the flexibility to meet and
assist visitors at the airport. However, Barbadian Customs and
Immigration are visitor-friendly. The taxi rate from the airport to
the hotel is approximately BDS$30 (US$15). The exchange rate is
approximately 2 Barbados 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. The exchange rate for Saint Lucia is approximately
$2.70 xcd (Eastern Caribbean) dollars for $1.00 U.S. dollar. U.S.
currency, traveler's checks, and credit cards are also routinely and
widely accepted here.


6. Entry requirements: A valid U.S. passport is required to enter
Barbados and Saint Lucia. 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, tel. 1-202-939-9200.


7. Restrictions: The laws of Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint
Lucia, Grenada, Dominica, and Saint Kitts and Nevis prohibit
non-military personnel from wearing any articles of camouflage
clothing. Immigration officers in these countries randomly check
visitor's baggage on arrival at the airport; if items of restriction
are found, you will be asked to surrender them to the officers.


8. Departure tax for Barbados is BDS$60 or USD$30. Departure tax

for Saint Lucia is $68.00 ECC (Eastern Caribbean Currency) or $24.00
USD.


9. ICASS TDY Policy: Each visitor, regardless of length of stay,
must bring/forward fiscal data to pay for direct costs of the visit.
Each agency, organization or visiting delegation will be charged
for the actual costs attributed to its visit. Direct charge costs
include, but are not limited to: airport transportation and
expediting; driving services; American and LES overtime (for such
services as airport expediting, cashier accommodation exchange,
control room staffing, representational event support); travel and
per diem costs incurred by post personnel in support of visitor's
field travel; rental of vehicles and other equipment; long distance
telephone calls; office supplies, procurement/small purchasing;
departure tax and other airport fees. Post will not provide service
if fiscal data is not provided for the direct charges.

For TDYers remaining at post over 30 days, there is a charge for
ICASS support services. This charge is for the following ICASS
services: Basic Package, CLO and Health Services. Agencies will
not be billed until the accumulated invoice cost for TDY support
exceeds $2,500 for the fiscal year. If your sponsoring agency is
not signed up for ICASS services at post, please be prepared to sign
a Memorandum of Understanding for ICASS support services upon
arrival. The agency should provide post with a written
communication, generated by the traveler's headquarters, that
confirms the agency will pay ICASS charges for the TDYer, provides
the agency ICASS billing code to which the TDY support charges
should be applied, and authorizes the traveler to sign the ICASS
invoice generated by the TDY module. Where travel is urgent, the
TDYer should bring this documentation with him/her to ensure there
are no interruptions in the provision of service. Post will not
provide any service to a TDYer staying in excess of thirty days
without provision of this documentation before day 31 of the TDY."


10. 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 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.

OURISMAN