koolgirl

Hello Everyone
I have had great inner debate on where I move to. One thing is certain and that is I am NOT staying in the UK, for reasons that im sure we all understand.

So where to go?...I started with spain but found that they are having their own problems with immigration and rise in crime.
Then I thought Australia/New Zealand but do I want to be on the other side of the world? Is it a bit tooooo far away...

Then I found this great thread about the caribbean. Well well well cant believe i didnt think of it..only 8 hrs away. sunshine, cheap house rental on certain islands Im in heaven!!
Id just like to say thank you to all the posters, you do not know how you have helped me in making a descision..I am now going to book a holiday in St Lucia and test the waters for a possible move within the next year.

Thank you all, anyone that has any info on renting in St Lucia, somewhere with some expats not too remote and shops, supermarkets and entertainment nearby, any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks again

Mr Redrose

Try typing 'cariblist' into Google or Yahoo or whatever. It will come up with a website that shows property for sale or rent in St Lucia, amongst others. Click on St Lucia and then rentals, and away you go. You may need to get a map of St Lucia up first to see where areas are, but I recommend the Rodney Bay/Gros Islet area.

Don't go for the upper class ghetto of Cap Estate!!

Pg tips, another contributor, has invited others to look at http://www.rodneybay.net which contains useful information.

Good hunting,

Mr Redrose

Mr Redrose

Nearly forgot - type into your search engine 'bluereefrealestate' and you should get Maria Buchner's site. She is very very good.

Mr Redrose

koolgirl

Great! thanks very much for that, im looking now!

Im quite interested in something on the caribbean sea side of the island, rather than atlantic..im guessing the sea is calmer on the carib side?

Someone mentioned Marigot Bay? or Rodney Bay seems good too

I want to go there now! lol

Thanks again

Islander Girl

Hi Koolgirl,
have you booked anything yet?
I live in St Lucia and can show you around while you are here if you like?

koolgirl

Islander, no I have not booked anything yet but I am looking to do so soon.
I run my own online business and am trying to get to a stage where I can sit on the beach with a lap top and still make a living!

My brother in law is from st lucia I dont know if that helps with being allowed to live there?
My mum lives in jamaica and i would like to move her from there, with me, to a quieter island, somewhere a bit safer..what is the crime situation like? have you noticed it getting worse or is it pretty low?
When I have booked I will post my arrival date, I would love to meet up and pick your brains on this.

Thanks for your post

Islander Girl

Hi Koolgirl,
What sort of business is it? Working from the beach sounds like a good plan!

Not sure on citizenship, PGTips would be able to help you with that probably as he is knowledgable on that subject.

The crime situation here is not a problem and certainly better than London or the suburbs, much much better than Jamaica.
Looking forward to meeting up sometime soon.

pgtips

Koolgirl, if your mum is Jamaican, maybe you could obtain Jamaican citizenship through her which would then lead to you being a Caricom citizen.
For certain categories of Caricom citizens there is free movement of labour into the members islands and also gives you the entightlement to live there to. I know a lady who got her Caricom status through her Trinidad born parents and she used that to now live and work in St Lucia.

FREE MOVEMENT OF SKILLED NATIONALS basically means that such persons have the right to seek employment and to work without the need to obtain a work permit. Within the Single Market the following persons have the right to free movement:

University Graduates
Media Workers
Sports Persons
Artistes and Musicians
Managerial, Supervisory and Technical Staff of CARICOM Nationals moving to provide a service or establish a businesses
These categories were going to be extended to include nurses, unqualified teachers and one or two others contact one of the menmbers states embassies for further clarification.

A Skills Certificate is necessary in order to facilitate the free movement of these eligible categories of persons.

St lucia is very open and welcoming to anyone who intends to start a business especially if it may lead to employing some locals down the line.

Enjoy your holiday to St Lucia and you should be in good hands with Islandergirl.