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FAQ Answers
Location: Canouan Island is located in the heart of the
Grenadines in the southwestern Caribbean.
Language: English is the official language but as CCA's workforce is multinational, all manner of
language can be heard!
Population: Approximately 1100 people comprise the permanent
population of Canouan. Additionally CCA and its parent company CRD
employees an additional 1,000 persons of varying nationality and job
description.
Government: St. Vincent & the Grenadines are a fully
independent state within the British Commonwealth.
The government is democratically elected. An appointed Governor General
represents the Crown.
Currency: East Caribbean
dollar and U.S. dollar (note form only).
Rate of exchange EC$2.68=US$1.00
Banking: National Commercial Bank (Tel: (784) 458-8595
Opening hours: Mon. - Fri. 8a.m. to 1p.m.
Thursday 8a.m. - 1p.m, 3p.m. - 5p.m.
Required documents to open an account:
· A letter of good standing with an existing banking group.
· A job letter from CCA Limited.
· A previous utility bill issued in applicants
name.
Credit Cards: All major credit cards are accepted in existing
hotels and upscale businesses.
Electricity: 220/240 Volts, 50 cycles. The standard electrical
plug has 3 rectangular pins so do pack an adapter if necessary.
Time Zone: St.
Vincent and the Grenadines is in the
Atlantic Standard Time zone, 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 4
hours behind GMT.
Climate: Temperatures range from 24C (75F) to 30C (86F). Dry
season is January - April, rainy season July - October. Average rainfall
is 80" on the coast and 150" inland.
Transportation: Fixed route bus service Monday through Saturday
(06.00 - 18.00) from the urbanized area of Canouan to the main entrance
gate of Raffles
Resort Canouan
Island. One-way
ticket EC$1. Bus stops include Main Junction (Market), Cherry
Hill, Friendship and Tamarind. Weekly (EC$12) / Monthly
(EC$48) bus passes can be purchased from the bus conductor.
Airlift: Scheduled direct flights to Canouan from Puerto Rico, Barbados
and St. Vincent via American Eagle (AA)
and Grenadine Airways (GAW). The Canouan airport was officially opened in
1998. Plans are now afoot to extend the runway to facilitate larger
craft. A government departure tax of EC$40.00 is charged all passengers
leaving the country. No taxes are imposed on inter-island travel within St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Contact nos. for the charter airlines
· SVG Air (St. Vincent) 784-457-5124
· Mustique Airways (St. Vincent) 784-458-4380
· Trans Island Air (Barbados)
246-418-1654
Customs regulations: Limited quantities of tobacco and alcohol
are duty free, as are personal effects and tools of profession, trade or
employment. Other items are dutiable or restricted.
Driver's License: Visitors and residents wishing to drive on
Canouan must purchase a local driver's permit, which can be acquired at
the local police station. A valid driver's license fro your country of
residence is required. The cost of the license is EC$50 and is valid for
6 months. Please remember to drive on the LEFT.
Immigration, Work permits, Visas: Citizens of Canada, The United Kingdom and The United
States require a passport or proof of citizenship (birth certificate or
voter's registration card) to visit St. Vincent and the Grenadines
for a period not exceeding six months. All other nationalities must be in
possession of a valid passport. A return or onward ticket is required of
all visitors. All requests for work permits and/or residency permits are
handled by the Human Resources Department of CCA Limited (police record
and medical certificate needed to process residence permit)
Medical Facilities: The Canouan Medical Clinic is located in Retreat Village and is open 9a.m -5p.m.
daily. A pharmacist is available on-island each Wednesday. Medical
Certificates for work permits are available Wednesdays only.
Communication: Phone booths are available throughout the
Village. Canouan Beach Hotel, Tamarind Beach Hotel and Silver Lining
Sports Bar & Restaurant offer overseas phone and fax services.
Cellular phones and service are available through Cable & Wireless
(C&W offices), Digicel and AT&T.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG) has a state of the art fibre optic digital telephone system. Internet, telex
and telegraph access are also available. The country code for SVG is
1-784 followed by the local seven-digit number. International Direct
(IDD) service is available to most destinations in the world and
international calls can be made using credit cards (MasterCard, Visa,
Discover, AT&T and Bell)
by dialing the operator.
Cable T.V. Service: Readily available.
Churches: Roman Catholic, Anglican, Apostolic, Pentecostal and
Seventh Day Adventist.
Beaches: Located on the southern part of Canouan are Glossy Bay,
Godhal
Bay and Friendship
Bay whose spectacular views
overlook the southern Grenadines. Many
of Canouan's beaches are protected by a coral
reef making them excellent for snorkeling and scuba diving. On the
windward side is Godahl Bay,
popular for swimming. In the north, Maho (Mahault) Bay is an unspoilt
stretch of white sand. There are many other small beaches to explore
along this shoreline.
Water sports: Tropical waters in hues of green and blue surround
the island and provide for an array of activities. Visitors and resident
alike have access to water sports from the hotels located here.
Windsurfing, sailing and hydro-bikes are all available. Local and
resort-based dive shops offer snorkeling, scuba equipment and scuba
certification courses. Recommended dive sites include New Guinea Reef,
Bottle Reef and The Garden, all of which are home to vivid coral gardens
and prolific fish life.
Additional Activities: Volleyball on the beach at Canouan Beach
Hotel.
Hiking: Hiking trails wind throughout the island and give way to
lush scenery and astounding views of neighboring islands.
Day Trips & Excursions: Day trips are available to
surrounding islands, specifically St. Vincent, Union
Island, Mustique,
Bequia, Palm Island
and Petit St. Vincent. Paradise also awaits at the nearby Tobago Cays, a group of islets
just south of Canouan. Accessible only by boat, its seclusion promises
both relaxation and adventure and is perfect for an afternoon picnic or
catching that sun-kissed glow.
The Moorings: In November 2002, The Moorings, the world's
premier charter organization opened a base on Canouan, in Grand Bay at the Tamarind Beach Hotel.
The base is conveniently located to explore the prime sailing grounds and
breathtaking beauty of the southern Caribbean
CCA Limited: is the legal
name of the company. It is not an acronym for anything else. Some people
refer to the company as
Caribbean Construction Associates, or Canouan Construction
Agency, but these do not legally refer to the company.
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