January - March 2009 lime 13 15 - 18 JANUARY LL PLUS… More important dates not to miss! JAN 3 Opening of Curaçao Carnival. Seven weeks of festivities beginning with dancing in Willemstad JAN 4 Barbados Music Awards JAN 21- FEB 4 14th Annual Mustique Blues, Basil's Bar and Restaurant, Mustique JAN 20- 22 15th Annual Casa de Campo Ladies Invitational golf tournament, Dominican Republic JAN 20- 23 Grenada 40th Billfi sh Tournament, Grenada Yacht Club JAN 22- 25 Bequia Music Festival, Frangipani Hotel and De Reef Lower Bay JAN 25 27thAnnual CLICO Trinidad and Tobago International Marathon FEB- MARCH Holders Arts Festival, Holders House, St James, Barbados FEB 10- 14 Tobago Carnival Regatta, Pigeon Point FEB 14- 25 Bonaire Carnival FEB 28- MARCH 1 Caribbean Bridal Marketplace, Puerto Rico Convention Centre, San Juan MARCH 1 Wadadli Day Cultural Extravaganza, Antigua MARCH 5- 8 29th St Maarten Heineken Regatta, St Maarten Yacht Club MARCH 6- 7 10th Annual St Vincent and The Grenadines Blues and Rhythms Festival MARCH 27- 29 36th International Rolex Regatta, St Thomas Yacht Club, US Virgin Islands MARCH 30- APR 5 BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival TO MAKE SURE YOU GET TO YOUR CHOSEN EVENT, BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS WITH LIAT EARLY. SUBMIT YOUR CALENDAR EVENTS TO CALENDAR@ LIME- MAGAZINE. COM TASTY AFFAIR THE ANNUAL ST LUCIA FOOD AND RUM FESTIVAL Normally held towards the end of each year, the festival has been rescheduled for January to dovetail with the Caribbean's premier travel trade show, Caribbean Marketplace, which will be held on the island from 18- 20 January. Both events will take place on the Pigeon Island beachfront. Ywww. foodandrumfestival. com BARBADOS JAZZ FESTIVAL The 16th annual Barbados Jazz Festival takes place at various venues, featuring artists such as Harvey Mason, David Burnett, James Blunt ( pictured), Errol Ince, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Angie Stone and Chrisette Michele. Ywww. barbadosjazzfestival. com 12- 18 JANUARY LL ROGER GIBBS Curaçao carnival

JUMEIRAH IN ST THOMAS 14 lime January - March 2009 LIMELITE DID YOU KNOW? LiMENEWS A brief look at what's going on in and around the Islands... PETER DAVID, THE NEWLY appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism for Grenada, plans to face the challenges of tourism for the island by capitalising on the " pristine, untouched nature" of Grenada. " We will not be pursuing mass tourism," he told LiME, " But will be focussing on our small size, natural beauty and friendly atmosphere." A Four Seasons resort is planned for the south of the island but, elsewhere, small boutique hotels Dubai- based luxury hotel fi rm Jumeirah Group is poised to enter the Caribbean market as the management company for the Botany Bay Resort on the west coast of St Thomas. Formerly known as The Preserve at Botany Bay, the new complex is scheduled to open in 2011. The 400- acre resort will include 84 hotel rooms, 30 timeshares, 30 privately- owned villas and 20 estate homes. Jumeirah has seven luxury hotels and restaurants in London, New York and Dubai, including the world- famous sail-shaped Burj Al Arab in Dubai. The capital of Tobago is named after Scarborough, the northern English seaside town. St Lucia sees surge in property sales Despite the gloomy global economic conditions, St Lucia has had a buoyant year for property sales. The rental market for buy- to- let owners is year round, and average capital appreciation is anywhere from eight to 20 per cent. The island has also recently been placed in the top 30 countries to invest in by the World Bank, ahead of Barbados and Antigua. Oliver Gobat, sales director at The Landings, a private yacht development near Rodney Bay, said: " St Lucia is proving a popular place for property investors since the UK and US real estate markets have weakened. " The Caribbean, in particular St Lucia, has the ideal conditions in which to invest. Property is still relatively well priced… and prices are expected to continue to increase strongly over the next fi ve to 10 years." abound. " We ask all developers to sit down with us to address our concerns for the environment," said David. Elsewhere on the island, Camper & Nicholsons' iconic new marina within the Port Louis development is set to widen the island's yachting appeal. David added that he wants Grenada to become known as the dive capital of the region as the island enhances its diving and prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the sinking of its world famous wreck, The Bianca C, in 2011. The 200m- long cruise ship sank off Grenada on 24 October 1961. MARGIE POLITZER / GETTY IMAGES CARIPASS TO EASE TRAVEL Caribbean Community ( Caricom) nationals should fi nd less hassle at ports of entry later this year with the implementation of the Caricom Travel Card, or CARIPASS. The travel card is a voluntary scheme that will allow eligible Caricom nationals and legal residents to clear immigration using designated electronic gates. SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL FOR GRENADA