e're tired of the cold and wet, our eyes are sore from all the editing and proofreading of the new Rum & Reggae's Caribbean edition (available late this month), and we don't like hearing of the difficulties that tourism-related businesses are having getting customers back on planes and into hotel beds. It's all making us a bit grumpy. Since it's been months since we last visited the islands, maybe we need a Caribbean sojourn to lift our spirits and keep us focused on the positive. But until that can be arranged, you'll need to tag along with us to the laundry room— some of what needs to be aired is becoming a tad putrid.

or starters, why are we not surprised that the name of one Caribbean island in particular should emerge as a player in the developing Enron scandal? Because it usually seems whenever tax evasion and offshore banking become front-page news, Grand Cayman has its fingers in the pie. Case in point: On January 17, the New York Times reported that Enron avoided paying income taxes in four of the last five years. We only had to read as far as the second paragraph of the story to discover the role of the Cayman Islands in the Enron peccadillo. It turns out that the company created 881 foreign subsidiaries to hide income from the I.R.S. - 692 of these phantom operations were based in the Caymans. With its tourism skidding backwards, Grand Cayman would probably love to be represented in the Grey Lady for its beaches and diving, but for the moment, the island will need to settle for a notoriety derived from its tacit approval of tax cheats.

he Spice Island of Grenada has started the new year with a big announcement. Located on the remote north coast of the island, near the village of Sateurs, Levera Beach has long been one of our favorite secret hideaways - the strand was undeveloped and beautiful and, according to the government, protected." It turns out that maybe what Grenada meant was that it was being protected until the right developer came along. In this case, ground was broken on the first nine holes of an 18-hole golf course near Levera, scheduled for completion this summer. It doesn't make sense to construct such a facility where there aren't any accommodations, so the first of two 300-unit resorts is also promised. Down the line, an all-inclusive hotel is also planned (there goes the neighborhood!), and the reopening of Pearls Airport. Wait, Pearls Airport? Isn't that the run-down airstrip that was supplanted by the modern airport (thank you Cuba) at the southern tip of the island? Why on earth does bantam little Grenada think it needs a second airstrip? Part of the charm of this island has been that its tourism facilities and development was concentrated to the south - this meant that the rest of Grenada was lush and relatively undisturbed. Alas, it probably resulted in residents of the northern part of the island being underemployed, but aren't there better ways to involve islanders in Grenada's tourism economy than pouring concrete over its most beautiful parts?

e are disturbed to report that violent crime on the island of Jamaica continues to rise unabated. In 2001, the murder toll reached 1,131 persons - an increase of 27 percent over the previous year for the island of 2.6 million people, and one of the worst per-capita murder rates in the world. Many prospective visitors to Jamaica are alarmed by the island's reputation for violent crime, but it's important to stress that visitors are unlikely to encounter any serious misfortune. Much of the crime is linked to gang turf wars in Kingston, which is a major transshipment point for Colombian cocaine headed north. Visitors should take the precautions one would exercise at home in an urban area. West Kingston is a dangerous neighborhood, and downtown Kingston is best explored with a well-versed guide; parts of Montego Bay are not safe after dusk. Political unrest occurs from time to time, with the bulk of the conflict acted out in the capital (if you plan to spend time in Kingston, check with the U.S. State Department for the latest advisories: http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html). Otherwise, use common sense, and seek out the recommendations made by hotels listed in R&R. Jamaica is too rich and dynamic an island to miss.

One time we would skip Jamaica - or at least choose our lodgings with particular care - is during Spring Break. If a 24-hour frat-house scene and a relentless thump of music through the night isn't your cup of tea, avoid Negril and Montego Bay proper during February-March. Management at Rockhouse, one Negril inn of character, told us that they have basically resigned themselves to being taken over by students during this period - the proximity of the Pickled Parrot (a major bar) means the all-consuming party disturbs the peace from noon until after midnight daily. Most other Negril hotels have similarly claimed defeat, or else they tell their (non-student) guests that Spring Break doesn't impact their property. Right. Note that the hotels located well outside MoBay like Round Hill and those in the Rose Hall area are much better isolated from the commotion.

The main reason to plant yourself in the vicinity of MoBay is the golfing - there are four excellent courses here, the newest being the one at the year-old Ritz-Carlton resort. Named after Annee Palmer, the notorious mistress of Rose Hall Plantation in the 19th century, the White Witch course has quickly become established as one of the best in the Caribbean. The fairway is designed by Robert van Hagge and it climbs up and down the abrupt hillsides overlooking the resort - a fortune is spent keeping it up-to-snuff. The White Witch is 6,800 yards (Championship), and native stone inlaid walls shore up the greens and tees on many holes. However, it's a tough course, with dramatic elevation changes, and it can make the average player feel inept. But you can also count on breathtaking sea views and fresh, cool wind at this elevation. Plus, being a Ritz-Carlton, the resort assigns a caddie (they call him a "golf concierge" here) to every group, who will retrieve wayward shots, advise on club selection, and keep balls burnished and bright.

he fallout from 9/11 continues to rock the Caribbean, evidenced by hotel closures big and small. The latest includes the Hyatt Regency St. Lucia, a two-year-old resort that entered receivership at the start of the year. The hotel has struggled to find an audience since its April 2000 opening (our suggestion: get rid of the ghastly blue roofs adorning the resort), and has been hampered by the government's delay of approving an opening for its casino. Hyatt is accepting reservations through the end of March, and good deals are assured, but the chain may not be involved in the property after then - reservations: 800-55-HYATT.

n the flip side, it was recently announced that a $55 million, 190-room hotel is under construction in Haiti, and will be managed by Hilton International. The country has been without an international chain hotel since the Holiday Inn and Club Med properties shut down more than three years ago. While we like the local options like El Rancho and Villa Creole, the 2003 arrival of the Hilton d'Haiti may be the catalyst for renewed interest in the country, at least from a business standpoint. Although the hotel will cater primarily to business travelers (like the Hiltons in Trinidad and Kingston, Jamaica), the only downside we see is that the location, at the airport, means the country is not focusing its improvements on Port-au-Prince itself, which it so desperately needs.

ther tidbits… Industry mouthpiece Travel Weekly reports that the Puerto Rico Tourism Company has finally awarded redevelopment contracts for two San Juan eyesores, the Condado Beach and La Concha hotels, to former hotelier, Hugh Andrews. The two high-rises have sat empty and frayed for four years while the government sought bids for their makeover - they will be gutted and are scheduled to reopen in 2004… The Old Man of Ernest Hemingway's Nobel prize-winning masterwork, "Old Man and the Sea," passed away in January, at the ripe old age of 104. Gregorio Fuentes was the inspiration for the novel, and a marlin-fishing buddy of Hemingway's - he died in the Cuban fishing village of Cojimar. Fortunately, The Sea is reportedly alive and well… Weekly flights to Barbados via British Airways Concorde resumed this winter, following a 16-month hiatus after the cash of an Air France Concorde in Paris in 2000. The weekly trip from London Heathrow to Barbados takes just under four hours on the supersonic jet, compared to 10-plus hours via Boeing jet… Lastly, rangers in the Virgin Islands National Park on St. John have started issuing $50 citations for nude sunbathing on Solomon Beach. The secluded, 150-yard-long cove has been used for discrete swimming and sunning in the buff since the 1960s, but apparently an increase of families to the beach and their subsequent complaints has prompted the park service to enforce the local law that bands public nudity. How enlightened. With all the other major issues going on in the world, is issuing citations for nude sunbathing really a good use of limited funds and manpower. We think not! Write your Congressman/woman!

As you read this month's newsletter, we are delighted to announce that the
2002 edition of Rum & Reggae's Caribbean guide is at the printer and/or en route to a bookstore near you.

Phew - glad to get all that off our chests! See you in March…