Getting a job in Barbados
May 10th 2007, 3:21 pm
#76
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Re: Getting a job in Barbados
I had started the Wikipedia article ( http://www.wikipedia.com/ ) on Sunbeach Communications. [ www.Sunbeach.net ] That company has indeed had a rocky history.
It was an early comer to the Internet. Either around 95-96? I think. Possibly '97
It did apply for and did obtain a wireless license for Barbados before it hit financial trouble... It then merged--- with a small UK based telecom company, with that British company relocating their management team to Barbados. The British segment pretty much collapsed in the UK market, thus leaving more debt on the Barbados-based operatons. The company had also wanted to list Sunbeach on the London Stock Exchange but the company's financial situation made them halt that. Sunbeach almost got themselves de-listed from the Barbados Stock Exchange too. Eventually Sunbeach decided to halt trading of their shares on the BSE as they worked with creditors. Sunbeach fell more and more behind as 1) AT&T Wireless, 2) Digicel, and 3) Cable & Wireless started locking the lionshare of Barbadians into 2 year wireless contracts and it looked bleak if Sunbeach could get customers anymore with most people being under contact, so Sunbeach announced they would break ranks from the others and would launch a CDMA-based cell phone service instead of the GSM standard which the others used.
Eventually AT&T and Cingular merged in the USA and Cingular wanted to pull out from the Caribbean. Cingular sold out their Caribbean customers to Digcel leaving just C&W, Digicel, and Sunbeach as wireless license holders for Barbados. Then Sunbeach's license was about to lapse with the Barbados government.
A quick thinking private investors group from Trinidad and Tobago (LaqTel) namely -- a group affiliated with the Trinidad and Tobago PNM party--- The People's National Movement over the course of a year snapped up most of the shares of Sunbeach and tried to get creditors in Barbados squared away, LaqTel paid the fee to the Barbados government to keep the un-used license and announced they would have Sunbeach's Wirelesss business up and running "in a year" to "18 months". LaqTel announced that a Canadian Company SaskTel along with Nortel would be their partner in getting this done. This got rocky, the large telephone company in Canada SaskTel wanted to take over the LaqTel company out-right so LaqTel broke off the agreement and backed out. Sunbeach at this point was still without anywireless network and now LaqTEL was still without a Network in Trinidad and Tobago too.... Plus it was back to Square One now needing to seek its own investors for Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago... In order to save their arm, LaqTel announced they found an invetment group from the "Middle East" which turned out to be Palestine Telephone or something like that.(As the main investors)
But things again got hostile--- PalTel wanted to take-over the whole Sunbeach and LaqTel company too seeing the large business opportunity. LaqTel trying to make the best of the tough situation, and trying to save its own arm- from the wolves quickly unloaded Sunbeach to VTEL of Palestine and LaqTEL announced they signed an agreement shortly after with SPRINT in the USA to build a CDMA Wireless network in Trinidad and Tobago. I've yet to hear anything else about LaqTEL launching in Trinidad as of yet....
http://www.laqtel.info/
http://www.sunbeahc.net/
It was an early comer to the Internet. Either around 95-96? I think. Possibly '97
It did apply for and did obtain a wireless license for Barbados before it hit financial trouble... It then merged--- with a small UK based telecom company, with that British company relocating their management team to Barbados. The British segment pretty much collapsed in the UK market, thus leaving more debt on the Barbados-based operatons. The company had also wanted to list Sunbeach on the London Stock Exchange but the company's financial situation made them halt that. Sunbeach almost got themselves de-listed from the Barbados Stock Exchange too. Eventually Sunbeach decided to halt trading of their shares on the BSE as they worked with creditors. Sunbeach fell more and more behind as 1) AT&T Wireless, 2) Digicel, and 3) Cable & Wireless started locking the lionshare of Barbadians into 2 year wireless contracts and it looked bleak if Sunbeach could get customers anymore with most people being under contact, so Sunbeach announced they would break ranks from the others and would launch a CDMA-based cell phone service instead of the GSM standard which the others used.
Eventually AT&T and Cingular merged in the USA and Cingular wanted to pull out from the Caribbean. Cingular sold out their Caribbean customers to Digcel leaving just C&W, Digicel, and Sunbeach as wireless license holders for Barbados. Then Sunbeach's license was about to lapse with the Barbados government.
A quick thinking private investors group from Trinidad and Tobago (LaqTel) namely -- a group affiliated with the Trinidad and Tobago PNM party--- The People's National Movement over the course of a year snapped up most of the shares of Sunbeach and tried to get creditors in Barbados squared away, LaqTel paid the fee to the Barbados government to keep the un-used license and announced they would have Sunbeach's Wirelesss business up and running "in a year" to "18 months". LaqTel announced that a Canadian Company SaskTel along with Nortel would be their partner in getting this done. This got rocky, the large telephone company in Canada SaskTel wanted to take over the LaqTel company out-right so LaqTel broke off the agreement and backed out. Sunbeach at this point was still without anywireless network and now LaqTEL was still without a Network in Trinidad and Tobago too.... Plus it was back to Square One now needing to seek its own investors for Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago... In order to save their arm, LaqTel announced they found an invetment group from the "Middle East" which turned out to be Palestine Telephone or something like that.(As the main investors)
But things again got hostile--- PalTel wanted to take-over the whole Sunbeach and LaqTel company too seeing the large business opportunity. LaqTel trying to make the best of the tough situation, and trying to save its own arm- from the wolves quickly unloaded Sunbeach to VTEL of Palestine and LaqTEL announced they signed an agreement shortly after with SPRINT in the USA to build a CDMA Wireless network in Trinidad and Tobago. I've yet to hear anything else about LaqTEL launching in Trinidad as of yet....
http://www.laqtel.info/
http://www.sunbeahc.net/
May 10th 2007, 8:37 pm
#77
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Re: Getting a job in Barbados
Laqtel got a license in Suriname??? Nah??? I think you're probably meaning Digicel right????? :-) Digicel is the cell phone company owned by that Irish billionaire....
Laqtel is the one run by Dr. Joseph Laquis.... LaqTel is almost all ex/retired PNM party members. http://www.pnm.org.tt/
P.S. I had entered Laqtel's URL incorrectly before. It is http://www.laqtel.com/
I noticed on LaqTel's website they're still talking about Wireless service in the 'future' tense. I don't think they're ready yet...
P.P.S. This is was the Laqtel article in Barbados.
http://www.nationnews.com/story/328485278433158.php
Laqtel is the one run by Dr. Joseph Laquis.... LaqTel is almost all ex/retired PNM party members. http://www.pnm.org.tt/
P.S. I had entered Laqtel's URL incorrectly before. It is http://www.laqtel.com/
I noticed on LaqTel's website they're still talking about Wireless service in the 'future' tense. I don't think they're ready yet...
P.P.S. This is was the Laqtel article in Barbados.
http://www.nationnews.com/story/328485278433158.php
Last edited by _Tropical_11th; May 10th 2007 at 8:47 pm.
May 12th 2007, 4:11 pm
#78
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Re: Getting a job in Barbados
http://britishexpats.com/forum/newre...eply&p=4761354
Town & Country Planning:
http://www.townplanning.gov.bb/
I don't know where they would post their vaccancies. Probably on the Ministry of Labour & Industry website ( http://www.labour.gov.bb/ )
However other big construction conglomerates in Barbados I would have to say are
*C.O. Williams Construction - http://www.cow.bb/
Nice company I hear. They do most of the large construction projects in Barbados. Several of the new hotels and stuff near the Royal Westmoreland golf course in Saint James etc. I think...
They also built a Caribbean research office for the United Nations in the parish of Christ Church kind of close to The Garrison Savannah.
As seen:
(Lower right)
http://www.barbadosphotogallery.com/...21128/rcf6.jpg
http://www.barbadosphotogallery.com/...21128/rcf7.jpg
Another contruction company in Barbados, Rayside Construction Ltd. mostly does the contracts for the highways in Barbados. They are also doing some of the renovation work at the Sir Grantley Adams Airport as well. I don't know of a URL for Rayside.
Last but not least the last place I could think of in Barbados for construction The Arawak Cement plant - http://www.arawakcement.com.bb/
Arawak is now a part of the regional Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL Group) which also has operations in Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago.
May 12th 2007, 8:54 pm
#79
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Joined: Apr 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 743
Re: Getting a job in Barbados
Laqtel got a license in Suriname??? Nah??? I think you're probably meaning Digicel right????? :-) Digicel is the cell phone company owned by that Irish billionaire....
Laqtel is the one run by Dr. Joseph Laquis.... LaqTel is almost all ex/retired PNM party members. http://www.pnm.org.tt/
P.S. I had entered Laqtel's URL incorrectly before. It is http://www.laqtel.com/
I noticed on LaqTel's website they're still talking about Wireless service in the 'future' tense. I don't think they're ready yet...
P.P.S. This is was the Laqtel article in Barbados.
http://www.nationnews.com/story/328485278433158.php
Laqtel is the one run by Dr. Joseph Laquis.... LaqTel is almost all ex/retired PNM party members. http://www.pnm.org.tt/
P.S. I had entered Laqtel's URL incorrectly before. It is http://www.laqtel.com/
I noticed on LaqTel's website they're still talking about Wireless service in the 'future' tense. I don't think they're ready yet...
P.P.S. This is was the Laqtel article in Barbados.
http://www.nationnews.com/story/328485278433158.php
May 14th 2007, 4:50 pm
#80
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Re: Getting a job in Barbados
I wonder where they're getting all this money... My only thought is if any of these shareholders in Palestine Telephone get charged with terrorism, The US would probably demand that the Barbados government seize/garnish the holdings of VTEL until the US investigates.
May 18th 2007, 9:07 pm
#81
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Re: Getting a job in Barbados
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/NewV...m?Record=31060
Looks like the new Sunbeach owners are going to be flying in from the Middle East next week to turn Sunbeach into a large Latin America/Caribbean telecommunications company.
May 20th 2007, 7:00 pm
#82
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Location: Grenada
Posts: 218
Re: Getting a job in Barbados
Thanks for the news.....
Currently for me it looks very good that I am getting a job in Barbados. I sent all my applications few days ago, and I got some very positive replies until now. So - we will definately be in Barbados in 2008 YEAH!! 
Currently for me it looks very good that I am getting a job in Barbados. I sent all my applications few days ago, and I got some very positive replies until now. So - we will definately be in Barbados in 2008 YEAH!!
May 20th 2007, 8:01 pm
#83
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 157
Re: Getting a job in Barbados
Belinda:
Good to hear that you are getting a positive response to your applications. My computer was down the past week, hence my lack of replies, but I see the other forum members have been keeping you well informed.
John
Good to hear that you are getting a positive response to your applications. My computer was down the past week, hence my lack of replies, but I see the other forum members have been keeping you well informed.
John
May 21st 2007, 8:42 am
#84
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Posts: 743
Re: Getting a job in Barbados
P.S. Have you seen the other day's Barbados Advocate?
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/NewV...m?Record=31060
Looks like the new Sunbeach owners are going to be flying in from the Middle East next week to turn Sunbeach into a large Latin America/Caribbean telecommunications company.
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/NewV...m?Record=31060
Looks like the new Sunbeach owners are going to be flying in from the Middle East next week to turn Sunbeach into a large Latin America/Caribbean telecommunications company.
May 21st 2007, 8:47 am
#85
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Joined: Apr 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 743
Re: Getting a job in Barbados
2008 sounds so far away, doesn't it?
I want to go NOW!!!!!
I'll write later.....
May 22nd 2007, 6:55 pm
#86
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Posts: 25
Re: Getting a job in Barbados
Hi everyone,
Jane888- are you back yet? How was your stay & did you find out a way to stay?
I have my flight booked for 23/07- can't wait, only 9 weeks to go. However I think I may have made a mistake;the way I understand the tourist visa is that I can go for up to 6 months with a return ticket & renew my visa monthly. But I've booked my ticket back for 28/01/08 which is just over 6 months- 190 days to be exact. Can anyone shed any light on this? Will I need to change my ticket- hope not as my budget is exceedingly tight.
Also can anyone give me any info on staying in St George's? I've never been but a friend may let me stay there for a while. I think I'd have to rent a car if I lived there too, any idea if it would be better to buy an old car & sell after 6 months or to rent for that time, bearing in mind insurance factors? I'm 29, have a clean licence for 8 years-what kind of figures am I looking at? Tried to find out online but it's proving tricky. How does the insurance work - when I visited, it seemed anyone could use your car without any paperwork or hassle? Sorry for all the questions but everytime I think of one, another just comes along!
Jane888- are you back yet? How was your stay & did you find out a way to stay?
I have my flight booked for 23/07- can't wait, only 9 weeks to go. However I think I may have made a mistake;the way I understand the tourist visa is that I can go for up to 6 months with a return ticket & renew my visa monthly. But I've booked my ticket back for 28/01/08 which is just over 6 months- 190 days to be exact. Can anyone shed any light on this? Will I need to change my ticket- hope not as my budget is exceedingly tight.
Also can anyone give me any info on staying in St George's? I've never been but a friend may let me stay there for a while. I think I'd have to rent a car if I lived there too, any idea if it would be better to buy an old car & sell after 6 months or to rent for that time, bearing in mind insurance factors? I'm 29, have a clean licence for 8 years-what kind of figures am I looking at? Tried to find out online but it's proving tricky. How does the insurance work - when I visited, it seemed anyone could use your car without any paperwork or hassle? Sorry for all the questions but everytime I think of one, another just comes along!
May 22nd 2007, 7:16 pm
#87
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 157
Re: Getting a job in Barbados
12ellie12
Six months is the maximum that immigration can grant at a port of entry, but you will have to prove you have the resources to stay here and not work. I believe that they will let you in, but you will have to go to the immgration department and get an extension to cover the extra 10 days. I would not imagine that they would refuse you entry because your ticket is for slightly longer than six months.
St. George is in the middle of the island but it is a big parish, so it could be 10 minutes from the coast or it could be 40 minutes. What is the same of the area you are staying?
As for buying a car, you might get hammered on insurance. The insurance company is likely to ignore your previous driving history and class you as a new driver. Look to pay Bds$2000 for the six months. If you buy an old car, you could insure it 3rd party, and could probably pay half as much. Of course, the risk of buying an old car is that is might run fine for six months, or it might be a complete lemon.
Someone could add you to their insurance and rent you the car insured and maybe you could do a deal like that.
Feel free to write back with any additional questions.
John
Six months is the maximum that immigration can grant at a port of entry, but you will have to prove you have the resources to stay here and not work. I believe that they will let you in, but you will have to go to the immgration department and get an extension to cover the extra 10 days. I would not imagine that they would refuse you entry because your ticket is for slightly longer than six months.
St. George is in the middle of the island but it is a big parish, so it could be 10 minutes from the coast or it could be 40 minutes. What is the same of the area you are staying?
As for buying a car, you might get hammered on insurance. The insurance company is likely to ignore your previous driving history and class you as a new driver. Look to pay Bds$2000 for the six months. If you buy an old car, you could insure it 3rd party, and could probably pay half as much. Of course, the risk of buying an old car is that is might run fine for six months, or it might be a complete lemon.
Someone could add you to their insurance and rent you the car insured and maybe you could do a deal like that.
Feel free to write back with any additional questions.
John
May 23rd 2007, 1:09 pm
#88
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 25
Re: Getting a job in Barbados
Thanks Bajanboy.
I think it may be advisable to email immigration re my 190 days, just to be on the safe side- I'd be gutted if I flew all the way there & couldn't get in!
I'll have to find out the area- all I've been told is it's "in the country" in St George's. I have enough hassle with my old banger at home to risk buying a lemon (especially as my Dad won't be there to show me how to fix it!) I think I'll look into renting instead. I would never have thought about doing a deal with someone, thanks.
I'm sure I'll think of more questions & when I get an answer from immigration I'll post it for info.
Thanks again, take care,
Ellie
I think it may be advisable to email immigration re my 190 days, just to be on the safe side- I'd be gutted if I flew all the way there & couldn't get in!
I'll have to find out the area- all I've been told is it's "in the country" in St George's. I have enough hassle with my old banger at home to risk buying a lemon (especially as my Dad won't be there to show me how to fix it!) I think I'll look into renting instead. I would never have thought about doing a deal with someone, thanks.
I'm sure I'll think of more questions & when I get an answer from immigration I'll post it for info.
Thanks again, take care,
Ellie
May 23rd 2007, 1:49 pm
#89
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 157
Re: Getting a job in Barbados
Ellie:
I spoke to some other people regarding your situation, but I got different responses.
I spoke to some expats who live here and they said if your ticket is for longer than 6 months, the airline (BA or Virgin - I assume you are coming from the UK) will not let you board unless you have a visa. However, I spoke to a friend of mine who is a manager of Virgin Holidays and she said that as long as you have a return ticket, the airline does not care.
So, I think your approach to contact immigration is the sensible one.
You could tell Barbados immigration that you plan to travel to other islands during your time in Barbados, but you will buy the tickets in Barbados as you need them, so in reality, you will not spend the entire time here. That is a plausible explanation.
I might know someone who might be able to rent you an insured old banger for cheap. You could rent it month by month so there is no problems should it break down. Let me know if you might be interested.
Regards
John
I spoke to some other people regarding your situation, but I got different responses.
I spoke to some expats who live here and they said if your ticket is for longer than 6 months, the airline (BA or Virgin - I assume you are coming from the UK) will not let you board unless you have a visa. However, I spoke to a friend of mine who is a manager of Virgin Holidays and she said that as long as you have a return ticket, the airline does not care.
So, I think your approach to contact immigration is the sensible one.
You could tell Barbados immigration that you plan to travel to other islands during your time in Barbados, but you will buy the tickets in Barbados as you need them, so in reality, you will not spend the entire time here. That is a plausible explanation.
I might know someone who might be able to rent you an insured old banger for cheap. You could rent it month by month so there is no problems should it break down. Let me know if you might be interested.
Regards
John
May 23rd 2007, 3:38 pm
#90
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 25
Re: Getting a job in Barbados
Hi John,
Thanks for such quick info.
I'll speak to BMI airline aswell re the visa & definately use the reason of travelling outside of Barbados- ideally I'd like to but depends on cost.
I really appreciate the banger rental too. If I live centrally ( ideally near the Gap where my friends are), I may only rent a car for the 1st month to explore so if that's an option, I'd be v interested. Once I know more about my accomodation, then I'll get back to you ASAP. Don't suppose you have any friends renting out an apartment/room in Christchurch do you? What classes as longterm rental on the Cariblist?
Thanks
Ellie
Thanks for such quick info.
I'll speak to BMI airline aswell re the visa & definately use the reason of travelling outside of Barbados- ideally I'd like to but depends on cost.
I really appreciate the banger rental too. If I live centrally ( ideally near the Gap where my friends are), I may only rent a car for the 1st month to explore so if that's an option, I'd be v interested. Once I know more about my accomodation, then I'll get back to you ASAP. Don't suppose you have any friends renting out an apartment/room in Christchurch do you? What classes as longterm rental on the Cariblist?
Thanks
Ellie