The Caribbean

Where to go and why

Sun, sea and sand are the three reasons most give for wanting to escape to the Caribbean. Add to that the relaxed attitude that pervades the area and you've got the plus side to working here. On the downside, the islands can get claustrophobic when you've been there for a year. Many of the islands in the Caribbean rely on tourism for their international revenue, especially the larger islands such as Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, St Lucia, Bermuda and the 18 islands of the Bahamas.

Some islands specialize in all-inclusive resorts such as Jamaica and St Lucia, while others have global chains and individual properties. Departmental heads, head chefs and general managers are regularly recruited from abroad and English is the main language. Most islands have a tourism or hotel association.

Why settle for just one island? The area is also the prime destination for cruise liners, so get a job with one of them and see several different islands.

Money

Currency: East Caribbean dollar, but it is linked to the US dollar.

Salaries: Duty manager, five-star hotel, Bahamas: £333 a week. Executive chef, Barbados: £27,000.

Taxes: None in Bahamas or Grenada; 40% in Barbados.

Employers

Hilton (Bahamas, St Lucia); Atlantis resort (owned by Sun International); Radisson (Bahamas); Sandals; Superclub; Elegant Hotels (five properties in Barbados, one in Antigua); LaSource, Grenada (two properties in St Lucia); Hyatt (St Lucia); Rosewood Hotels & Resorts (St Lucia); Rex Resorts (St Lucia); Wyndham (St Lucia); Fairmount (Bermuda).

Cruise liners: Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Liners, Cunard Seabourn, Disney Cruise Line.

Independents: Barbados (Sandy Lane, Cobbler's Cove; Silver Sands; Coral Reef Club and sister hotel the Sandpiper) Grenada (the Calabash Hotel); St Lucia (Anse Chastenet).

Living/working conditions

Unions exist on most of the islands and as a manager you'll have to deal with them. Food costs can be high because, depending on the island, little is grown and must be imported, often from the USA. Expat packages usually include accommodation and other benefits.

Red tape

Work permits are required and must be applied for by the employer, who must usually prove no one locally can do the job. In Barbados, visas are for two or three years and there are instructional permits for six months allowing expats to teach their skills to locals.

Health

No particular diseases. Expat packages may include healthcare.

Developmental outlook

Politically most of the area is stable, although Jamaica has experienced some disturbances recently. The arrival of the Atlantis resort in Bahamas boosted room rates from £70 in July 1998 to £95 a year later. The reopening of Sandy Lane in Barbados earlier this year has created new interest in a country where tourism counts for 13% of the labour force, and 70% of the foreign exchange receipts. In the past two years international hotel groups have completed projects in St Lucia and Grenada.

Useful links

The Library Association lists several sites for workers overseas: www.la-hq.org.uk/directory/job_seeking/overseas.html.