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F E B R U A R Y
 2 0 1 0 Issue 37
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| I still find it slightly quirky to be told when trying to buy Euros or Sterling in cash at the bank in downtown Roseau, "Oh I don't think we have any foreign cash. Oops No! I tell a lie, we do have 17 pounds, but no Euros. Would you like that?" Or other variations of sums along that theme. Its only so that when we arrive in Gatwick or Charles De Gaulle Airport we are not on credit card, or looking high and low for a cash machine, to be able to buy breakfast and some toothpaste. Listening to the BBc recently I heard a guest banker on a radio talk show say that these days he introduced himself to strangers as an architect or a real estate agent. Never a banker! Everybody in the studio laughed, and he did'nt really need to go on to explain to the few listeners in the world that were visiting relatives in Outer Centauri for the last two years and missed the banking crisis, that bankers are now considered to be lesser creatures than the slimy, shady life forms that crawl out from under dark stones. But here in Dominica banking continues to be as it used to be; small, quirky and personal. The staff all know who we are, and call us by name. We are never asked for ID! We are never treated with suspicion as though we have no rights to our own money in our account. The result is that we like our bankers here very much; they look after our money with a service that is warm and interested in who we are and what we do! Sometimes we take carrier bags stuffed with pineapples or grapefruit into the bank for the staff. We always have an excess of fruit in our orchard and certainly two of the Business Account Managers have a very soft spot for our pineapples! Its true that we cannot do all those things that are possible in more sophisticated banks. We cannot have an escrow account, there is no such thing available. We cannot buy cash such as sterling, Euros or US dollars when travelling without at least 10 days notice for the money to be brought to Dominica from another bigger bank in Barbados or Jamaica. We cannot pay bills online and still have to slog round the telephone company and the electric company and make sure that one pays the bill in the three hours left between receiving it through the extremely slow local post and having the services cut off, and then having to pay the $25 reconnection fee! Bankers here are still treated as respected members of the human race I am pleased to say! Now lawyers...but that's another story for another day! |
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| This issue’s Money and Property Page columns feature savvy advice from our veteran international columnists. Discover if moving money and your assets is right for you plus other well-informed guidance in our Investors and Funding and Investment Corner columns. Then find out about little known, but legal and safe methods to secure your assets against the depredations of the taxman, plus also learn about the in and out of the offshore industry in Offshore Matters'. Discover advice you can capitalize on in Caribbean Investor and Owner Notes and Mortgage Matters. Check out the great new deals offered straight from the developers in the Off Plan Pre-Development Offers section. Take a peek through the Editor’s Pick of the Month section, which always focuses on some great deals or a really extraordinary property. The Clews Views columnist’s reviews the tragedy in Haiti and discusses where we go from here. Our Regular Feature articles begin with Hot off the Press Read updated news about Haiti after the horrific earthquake devastation regarding its rebuilding plans and how you can help. In an odd bit of tourism news, the Royal Caribbean returns to Haiti with controversial results and so far donations have reached the $355M mark. Meanwhile life in Venezuela's seems to be going downhill rapidly as the government has imposed rolling nationwide blackouts, its currency has been devalued for the first time in five years and tens of thousands of protesters march to overthrown South America’s last dictator. And, a peaceful accord has been reached in resolving the dilemma over former Honduras President Zelaya as the Dominican Republic steps in to help out. Sustainable Living The UNEP will lead the massive environmental recovery efforts in Haiti… Small islands have launched an energy initiative, SIDS-DOCK, to help with the reduction of emissions and to pursue low carbon development… and, in news which impacts both the environment and a potential major shift in global oil trade dynamics, the Saudis have quit a long-held lease of Caribbean oil storage and China has stepped in to take it over. In addition, China now has its eyes on the Caribbean fuel oil market as well! Tourism Treats The UN says that world tourism will rebound in 2010. In destination news, read about the travel picks selecting the Top 10 Off the Beaten Track Islands – many are in the Caribbean! And, Jamaica has been voted ‘Best Caribbean Destination.’ In cruise news, Royal Caribbean faces more scrutiny regarding its cruise ship calls in Haiti but resort workers say that without the business they won’t have money to eat. Caribbean Carnivals kick off with The Real Mas in Dominica and Trinidad still has some travel packages available for its annual world-renowned Carnival. In hotel and resort new the current trend among independent properties is to join up with big hotel brands' collections. Did You Know Most people are totally unaware of Haiti’s remarkable history and the fact that it is the world’s first Black Republic, that this was the only successful slave rebellion in world history, and that Haiti was once the richest colony in the world, with the most productive plantation system in the West Indies. Read about its early history and the revolution which brought about independence over 200 years ago. Also, if you have ever wondered where all the scrumptious French Creole recipes came from, we take a look at the origins of that unique brand of cooking with roots to four continents. Our Special Feature articles begin with HAITI : BEYOND MOUNTAINS, MORE MOUNTAINS A Haitian proverb states, “Beyond the mountains, more mountains.” One wonders how many more mountains the poor Haitians must struggle over in order just to live, much less progress. As the Haiti Education Foundation (HEF) approaches the disaster and the role we feel called to play, we first will center our efforts on the people. PIRATES : THE ORIGINAL ROCK STARS? PART 1 OF 2 Stirring tales of adventure, romance, and danger seem to surround the facts as well as the legends of the pirates from the Golden Era of Piracy. Movies have perhaps provided a myth made to romanticize these cutthroats as a form of escapism for the viewing audience. Captain Jack Sparrow’s alter ego, Johnny Depp, said he sees, "Pirates as the rock stars of their time."
HOW TO BUILD BACK BETTER HAITI In Haiti, Western-style construction standards virtually do not exist, this due primarily to lack of training, especially of the small contractors. WHY MY MOTHER MOVED TO NICARAGUA In the coming years, thousands of baby-boomers will start to consider retirement. Perhaps retirement in your own cities or local towns, or perhaps in a slower and more prosperous part of America in order to maximize your retirement income. My mom had that dilemma and found that she would not be able to afford a great quality life in the States. Drawn by its natural beauty, the warmth of its people and the financial advantages of living in a true emerging nation full of promise, she made a decision most of us only dream of – she moved to Nicaragua to retire. RETIRING TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC There are many pro’s to retiring to gorgeous Dominican Republic, recently ranked the second happiest country in the world. Let’s start with the DR’s zero capital gains taxes for tourism real estate; the special advantage law created just for retirees; the quick air travel to the USA and beyond; its great communications systems and infrastructure; its top notch medical and personal care services; its low cost of living; the non-stop entertainment possibilities and DR’s size and diversity – a place where you can spend 365 days involved with activities, golf and exploring and never get bored! LOSING YOUR HEART TO BELIZE As we all know by now (unless you’ve been hiding under a rock the past few years) the ‘first world’ economy, and with it a chance at a continuing nice quality lifestyle and/or quality retirement, have about vanished. Nothing is affordable anymore. PANAMA : THE EXPAT AND RETIREE PARADISE? Panama is consistently ranked as one of the top two or three destinations to retire to. With its stability and many attractions, it tops the list for those baby boomers and expat’s who are seeking a country with a long reputation as the place to comfortably settle in with far less challenges than many of the as newer retirement havens present. TALES OF A PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER IN THE CARIBBEAN Ever thought of joining the U.S. Peace Corps? Or, are you just wondering what it is they “really do?” The highly informative personal account by one volunteer, placed in the relatively unknown island of Dominica, will provide you with plenty of information on the high’s, low’s and reality of volunteering in another country, with any organization. 2010 will feature many ongoing changes and additions to the themes of our Special Features article, the first of which is the addition of a compelling new series of articles describing the life lived abroad by volunteers – people who are living in the Caribbean Basin countries undertaking a wide-range of volunteer activities for a variety of charities, ministries, NGO’s and other agencies. The individual experiences of volunteers may be different, but as a whole, volunteers all share a major commonality - each dreamed a dream of helping others, in a new, exotic destination; and all came away forever changed by their individual experiences. And by popular demand, we will continue to feature articles by those people who have made the move to various Caribbean Basin countries – some are virtual office professionals, some are semi-retired, but many are baby boomers; all are living out their life in high-quality style, a few hours non-stop flight from the States, in a tropical paradise at 40 to 60% the living cost of their home land. See you next month! The Editor February 2010 |
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| May 2009 | ||
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| I have been wondering again recently in travelling round the Eastern Caribbean why there is no defined Caribbean architectural style? Every construction design style you can possibly imagine is found on resort and tourist islands such as Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados. Balinese, Mexican, Florida, Californian, French, Tudor...you name it, an architect has imported some other international design style into the islands. ---> Read More | ||
| March 2009 | ||
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| Despite digitising most of our business and personal correspondence there are still times when a letter or parcel is sent to us through the ancient practiced art of the postal service. On Dominica it certainly is less a service and more an art form, a dark and strange canvas full of inconstancies and dead ends. Opening a Christmas 2008 present from our daughter and her family in the dusty, dour atmosphere of the post office on February 24th 2009 in Roseau, didn`t quite have the usual frisson of joy and anticipation that goes with such ceremonies. I was watched by a portly, dour and dusty civil servant whose seminal pleasures in life were obviously not derived from his work as post office customs agent. ---> Read More | ||
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