Travel tips for the Bidens
By Andre Bagoo (Newsday).
Sunday, May 26 2013WE HOPE US vice-president Joe Biden and his more than 100-strong contingent coming here tomorrow take heed of the warnings set out by the US Bureau of Consular Affairs to all US visitors to Trinidad and Tobago.
Mr and Mrs Biden would do well to visit
http://travel.state.gov/travel/ before letting Air Force Two touch down at Piarco. Otherwise, they might as well scrap the trip!
There are all sorts of dangers lurking here, including taxis that are not yellow, lonely areas at nights and persons involved in nefarious cyber-crime (Mr Biden, when he meets Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at Piarco tomorrow, should have a chat with her on this topic.)
As the Bureau warns, the first peril the Bidens will face is the risky journey from Piarco to their hotel at the Hilton, St Ann’s. We do not recommend a taxi.
“Traditional, non-shared, marked yellow-cab-style taxis do not exist in Trinidad and Tobago,” the US Bureau notes. “Unmetered, unmarked private taxis are available at the airports and major hotels. You can hire them to take you door to door (fares should be agreed upon in advance). Private taxis and route taxis both have plate numbers beginning with “H”. You should ensure your taxi is not a route taxi before getting in, because route taxis will stop to pick up additional passengers. Crimes including rapes, assaults, robberies and thefts have taken place inside taxis. Taxis have also caused serious traffic accidents when they swerved suddenly across several lanes of roadway in order to pick up or discharge passengers. You should also avoid small buses and vans known as ‘Maxi Taxis’ for the same reasons.”
Getting away from the airport quickly will be crucial. We know Air Force Two is likely to touch-down in the afternoon, but once the sun sets things may get rough.
“Violent crime remains high on both islands and affects local and expatriate communities, and tourists,” the Bureau states on its website profile of Trinidad and Tobago. “You should exercise caution and good judgement as in any large urban area. Be particularly cautious when travelling after dark from Trinidad’s Piarco Airport as incidents have been reported in the past involving armed robbers trailing arriving passengers from the airport and accosting them in remote areas of the airport parking lot, on the highway leading from the airport to downtown Port-of-Spain, and outside the gates of residences.”
As the Bureau notes, “Areas in the Port-of-Spain metro area to avoid include Laventille, Morvant, Sea Lots, the interior of the Queen’s Park Savannah, South Belmont, and Cocorite. Visitors should avoid the following areas after dark: scenic rest stops including Fort George, downtown Port-of-Spain, and all beaches. Tourists are particularly vulnerable to pick-pocketing and armed assaults in these locations. Night travel should be avoided.”
Joe and Jill Biden will have to get past Beetham, the landfill which has been on fire for more than a week. But they will face other perils.
“The Beetham Highway, a main thoroughfare in and out of the city, can be very dangerous if your vehicle has broken down. If your vehicle is still drivable you should get out of the area before seeking help,” the Bureau warns. “On the Beetham stretch, there are regular incidents of pedestrians running out into the road or throwing debris at cars — including masonry bricks — for the purpose of causing accidents and forcing cars to stop, whereupon a group of accomplices then descend upon the accident victims, robbing them of valuables, and often violently assaulting them, even if they are compliant. Elsewhere in Port-of-Spain, especially in Laventille, “bump and rob” incidents have been reported, in which the perpetrator rear-ends the victim, often causing only minor damage. When the victim emerges from the car, he or she is then robbed of valuables, and possibly carjacked as well.”
But the real people the US visitors have to fear are the cyber-criminals.
According to the US Bureau, “While Nigeria-operated scams are infamous for their cleverness and ingenuity, these types of financial scams are also common in Trinidad and Tobago. These scams target foreigners worldwide posing risks of both financial loss and personal danger to their victims. Scams are often initiated through Internet postings and unsolicited emails. No one should provide personal or financial information to unknown parties via email, telephone, mail or fax.” And since they are so elderly, we hope the Bidens’ advisers warn them of scams involving their relatives who may be living here.
“A recurring scam involves phone calls to elderly persons in the US by scammers who told them their grandchild had been arrested in Trinidad and Tobago for involvement in a traffic accident, and needed money immediately. Often an actual relative’s name was used, lending credibility to the hoax. In all cases, the young relatives were ultimately located, and in fact had never travelled to Trinidad or Tobago,” the Bureau advises.
And with all kinds of email trails all over the place these days, we caution the Bidens, just after turning the bend from the Beetham, to not give out their Hotmail addresses to anyone near the International Waterfront Centre.
While there is plenty bacchanal in Trinidad and Tobago, we hope the Americans realise we have laws and they cannot come here and just get away. This is particularly relevant to the members of the Secret Service (we all know what happened in Colombia last year with those prostitutes!)
“While you are travelling in Trinidad and Tobago you are subject to its laws even if you are a US citizen,” the Bureau helpfully reminds. “If you break local laws in Trinidad and Tobago your US passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.” We know our Police Service will bend over backwards to prove to the Americans that we are about law and order.
While we understand why the Americans might want to take a dip in the sea, we strongly caution against it.
“Marine hazards include corals, jellyfish, sharks, and sea urchins. Heed posted warnings at organised beaches, and do not bathe at unmarked, unpatrolled beaches. Use extreme caution at Maracas Beach on Trinidad, as the tides and undercurrents can be dangerous, and waves can exceed five feet in height,” the Bureau makes clear. “Medical care is significantly below US standards for treatment of serious injuries and illness, with limited access to supplies and medications.”
