Financial Tips
Alpart (Aluminum Partners of Jamaica)
One of the forces of the Jamaican economy is the bauxite mining industry. The red Jamaican soil is aluminum ore and is mined and partially process on the island. Near Mandeville lies the Essex Valley where two large mining and processing facilities are located. One is a Canadian outfit called Alcan. The other is a US based company whose Jamaican branch is known as Alpart. This industry brings many expatriates to Jamaica to lend their know-how to native engineers. Bauxite mining provides many dependable jobs to the area and the company helps build roads and other projects.
Jamaica Economy
About one fourth of the people depend upon agriculture for a living. Half the cultivated area iscontrolled by about 1,000 large estates, while the other half is divided into 185,000 small farms. The larger farms mainly produce sugarcane, citrus fruits, coffee, bananas, pimentos, and cattle--often for export. The small farms grow a variety of crops and raise goats and pigs for subsistence and for local markets.
Grenada Money & Banking
Money:
The Currency of Grenada is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC). US dollars are widely accepted by hotels, shops and restaurants, but you'll get a better deal if you purchase EC dollars at a bank and use the local currency. Major credit cards are accepted by most hotels and top-end restaurants as well as the larger car rental agencies. When you're catching taxis, make sure you know whether prices being quoted are in EC or US dollars.