We start off with the kind of upbeat story we love to report. British-based Sainsbury's, one of the world's largest food empires, has a dilemma: it can't keep its store shelves stocked with quality organic fruit. The grocers have come up with a novel solution: take over an entire island and convert it to an organic paradise. While we normally don't approve of foreign corporations invading these small nations, this concept has great merit. It may go a long way toward dealing with the increasingly perilous banana war between the US and EU that has several islands caught on slopes as slippery as a banana peel. Sainsbury's looked at the lush, formerly British Windwards and has settled on Grenada and St. Lucia as ideal for their experiment. Grenada's government has offered Sainsbury's 440 acres of old plantation land, while St. Lucia's has turned over four large farms totaling 300 to 400 acres. Pilot projects have been started, and if all goes well, these will become models to convert other land to organic growing. Ideally, Sainsbury's wants these two islands to go completely organic and for the grocer to act as a sales agent. We think this is a great idea to help keep the economies of these beautiful islands diversified and not entirely dependent on mass-market tourism.
And now for invasions of a different kind. Those of you who've scoured the pages of Rum and Reggae know we don't exactly thrill to the region's cruise ship infestation. Only last month, it was announced that the Disney Cruise Lines would now offer seven-day voyages to the Caribbean, stopping at St. Thomas and St. Maarten (in addition to a private island in the Bahamas). And the cruise industry seeks to outdo itself each year by introducing larger and larger behemoths, now capable of ferrying 3000 passengers to and fro. So, it's refreshing to hear the transport minister of posh Bermuda come out against this increasingly popular breed of travel. Ewart Brown said that a new cruise ship policy would be developed for Bermuda, partly in response to a report by Miami cruise industry consultants that recommended constructing a 600-foot pier in the picturesque harbor of Hamilton. Bermuda caters to upscale travelers, and the government undoubtedly sees the potential for huge ships to "down-market" their destination, but wouldn't it be nice for a few of the more-fragile Caribbean islands to take a similar stance? Are you listening Dominica?
Banana wars, cruise ship wars - what's next? How about diffusing a real war? Well, with all the bombs that were going off on Vieques, the Aruba-sized outpost just east of Puerto Rico, it's not much of an exaggeration. A quick history: The US Navy has used a third of the island's territory for live-fire training for decades, but when a civilian security guard was killed in an accidental bombing last April, exercises were suspended and America's would-be 51st state began calling for the Navy's ouster. On January 31, a surprise deal between Puerto Rico and President Clinton will allow the US Navy to resume bombing exercises in exchange for a referendum which will allow the island's 9000 residents to choose between letting the military stay indefinitely or requiring the navy to cease all training by 2003. We think this issue is going to percolate for awhile before it is fully resolved, but that ultimately, Washington will get its way. It doesn't hurt, however, that the anti-Navy forces have Ricky Martin on their side (is it true that he recently built a villa on Vieques?). One casualty of this affair is that Martineau Bay, the new hotel from Rosewood Resorts (they also run Little Dix Bay and Caneel Bay in the Virgins), has had its opening postponed until "late fall." The official line is the usual - construction delays - but we think the Rosewood folks were a little concerned with the local fireworks and are hoping that the issue dies down by next winter.
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Speaking of delays, the new Hyatt Regency St. Lucia - scheduled to open in December - has had its debut postponed a second time. We're told the resort will now definitely premiere in April, just in time for the St. Lucia Jazz Fest in May. Reservations: (800) 55-HYATT. Another hotel that has encountered numerous delays is the Hilton Tobago. We when visited the island in November, the hotel was just starting to put out the word that it wouldn't be ready in December, but couldn't - or wouldn't - arrange for a site inspection by R&R. From a distance, there was a good deal of work to be done, but now comes word that the Hilton will be ready May 1. This huge luxury property will have a significant impact on the character of sleepy little Tobago - and may alone instigate better air service from the US. Reservations: (800) HILTONS.
Airline competition has stirred up some positive news. We have long been fans of the special island-hopping fares offered by LIAT (see page xxiii of "Before You Go" in R&R 2000). So, we thought it was interesting that American Airlines and its commuter partner American Eagle have introduced a Caribbean Explorer fare, which allows island-hopping itineraries via their shared hub in San Juan. Fares are calculated based on the number of islands beyond San Juan as well as the distance traveled, up to a total of 10 segments. The hitch is that if you were traveling from Tobago to, say, Grenada, you'd have to fly via San Juan (a nearly three-hour flight each way) whereas a direct flight on LIAT would take under one hour; you may also pay more for the American Eagle routing than you would using LIAT. But this fare does offer an intriguing alternative to LIAT (which only serves the eastern Caribbean islands), and avails a few jet flights to some of the major islands, like Aruba and St. Thomas. For more information call (800) 882-8880; ask for the International Desk, and the CRB Explorer fare. Next month we hope to have news about a similar offer in the works on Air Jamaica.
And now for a subject that rankles the core of our being: departure taxes. Since going to press with R&R 2000, a number of islands have increased the price they charge visitors for the privilege of leaving their fair countries. It's not just that these purportedly tourist-friendly lands get you with onerous hotel taxes, 10- to 15-percent service charges (regardless of whether the service was good or not), and cab fares that would make a New York taxi driver green with envy, but they have to nab you on the way out with a departure tax, as well? Grenada has gone up to $19, Jamaica's to $26, St. Kitts/Nevis' to $16.50, St. Lucia to $21, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to $12. Now, we know that few sane travelers would choose a vacation destination based on the cost of departure tax. But for the sake of comparing apples to apples for a moment, here are the destinations that charge $10 or less when you check in for your flight home: Anguilla, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Montserrat and the US Virgin Islands. What's more, a few islands manage to raise revenue without charging a departure tax: Puerto Rico, St. Barts, Martinique and Guadeloupe. When you pass through immigration, tell 'em we appreciate it.
Phew! Glad we got that off our chest. See you next month.
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