Europe and the Caribbean. A new container park at Kingstown and a new container port at Campden Park have been completed.
Immigration All arrivals into St. Vincent and the Grenadines must present a valid passport and Visas are required from nationals of the following countries before entering St. Vincent and the Grenadines: China, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran and Nigeria. A return or onward ticket is required of all visitors. Work permits are available from the Prime Minister’s office on Bay Street, Kingstown.
Camouflage Clothing It is illegal to wear or import camouflage clothing in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Airports There are five airports in St. Vincent and the Grenadines with E.T. Joshua Airport in Kingstown being the largest. The four smaller domestic airports are located in Bequia, Mustique, Canouan and Union Island. These airports are serviced by LIAT - STAR of the Caribbean, SVG Air and Mustique Airways. American Eagle also services Canouan. A departure tax of EC$40 is payable by all passengers leaving the country.
Money Christine Wilkie
The currency of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (EC$). Notes are issued in denominations of $100, 50, 20, 10, and 5. Coins are issued in denominations of $1 and 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. The exchange rate is tied to the US dollar at a rate of $2.68. St. Vincent & the Grenadines is a spectacular dive destination
Roads There are 580 km (360 miles) of surfaced roads with the Leeward and Windward highways traversing either side of the country. Country roads can be narrow with steep inclines and declines so exercise caution.
Telecommunications St. Vincent and the Grenadines has a state of the art fibre optic digital telephone system. Internet, boatphone, cellular service, telex, telegraph and facsimile access are also available. The international area code is 1-784 followed by the local seven-digit number. Phonecards are available through outlets islandwide as are phonecard booths. International Direct Dialing (IDD) service is available to most destinations in the world and international calls can be made using your credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, AT&T and Bell are accepted) by dialing the operator.
Health There are six public hospitals, including Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (formally Kingstown General Hospital), and Maryfield Hospital, Lowmans and Bequia Casualty Hospital, Port Elizabeth, and three privately owned hospitals. Community care is provided by 38 outpatient clinics located throughout the country. Each clinic serves about 3,000 people and is easily accessible. Health centres are well staffed and provide a wide range of services, including midwifery, family planning, immunization and
emergency care. St. Vincent has a mental health centre and a home for the elderly. The average life expectancy is 68 years for men and 72 years for women.
How to Get Here St. Vincent & the Grenadines is reached by air from North America and Europe through six major gateways – Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, St. Lucia, Puerto Rico and Trinidad, with daily connections to Union Island, Canouan, Mustique and Bequia. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Air Canada, Air France, BMI, Caribbean Airlines and Air Jamaica all provide excellent service to the gateways; while LIAT - Star of the Caribbean, SVG Air, Grenadines Air and Mustique Airways all provide a convenient connecting service from the gateways. American Eagle now provides a direct service from Puerto Rico to Canouan Island. Flight time to St. Vincent is approximately 35 minutes from Barbados; 30 minutes from Grenada; 45 minutes from Martinique; 20 minutes from St. Lucia; 2 hours 20 minutes from Puerto Rico. St. Vincent and the Grenadines has an information desk in the Arrivals Section of Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados (Tel: 246-428-0961) open daily from approximately 1:00pm until the last flight to St. Vincent departs. Personnel are on hand to assist travellers in making connections to their final destinations.
The Ins & Outs of St. Vincent & The Grenadines
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