Although the Caribbean can be an amazing life change, it is not always fun and games. In this article there are some very important points to be aware of. Pitfalls would be another term. Many may think that “wow, you live in the Caribbean. That must be fantastic.” And of course, human nature would automatically kick in and you would tell them that it’s a great lifestyle. Everyone should enjoy it. But the truth be told, the Caribbean is not for everyone.

I say this not to drive you away or deflate a dream. If fact, living the Caribbean lifestyle is absolutely wonderful, but it takes time, perseverance and an open mind. Those with highly addictive personalities may not wish to apply.

Following are some points to remember when entering the Caribbean Life.

Lazy Days of Summer.
Now it’s not all lazy days in the cooling trade winds, sipping on colored drinks with umbrellas. In reality, it can be a real struggle to find out what you are going to do, day, after day, after day, after day. If you are working it’s a lot easier to stay occupied. If you are retired, chances are, you will get involved in some sort of business. Whether it is your own interests or helping a charitable foundation, passing the time of day can be hard work if you have nothing to keep yourself occupied.

Make Local Friends
If you have just moved to an island or an area of the island that has a lot of daily or weekly tourist traffic it can be a lot of fun sharing your “Escape to the Caribbean” story. Be careful, this can eventually lead you into a trap of only getting to know only the tourists that are here to have a fun time, drink and be merry. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this but you will be surprised how quickly you will get burned out with the scene and by that time set some bad habits.

Instead, since this is your new home, go out and network, network, network. Not in the LA/NY, stab a knife in your back, anything to get ahead sort of way, but a friendly unobtrusive way. Locals will be more prone to welcoming you and sharing information and stories if they know you are here to stay. When I used the word “Locals”, I mean Islanders and Resident Expats.

Locals realize that it gets very monotonous and eventually irritating to share their story with every Tom, Dick and Harry that passes through. In fact their groups can be quite “clicky”. But, once you have met them a few times and they know you are going to be here to stay, the doors will tend to open to invite you in. Once this happens, you are on your way to quite possibly a life time friendship with expats from all over the world.

Caribbean Island Communities/Villages
As with many small towns all over the world, gossip travels really fast. Negative gossip of course travels quicker. Be aware of the things you say and do, at least to begin with, it will be very beneficial. Some call gossip Black Magic because you are promoting negativity through speech.
Of course it is going to happen. Stories of drunk driving on golf carts at 3am. Who was caught fooling around with the other man’s wife. Who ran their sail boat on to a reef head. Gossip travels as fast as lighting on an island. Twitter and Facebook are nothing compared to the Coconut telegraph. Once the news is out, you could drive 200 yards down the road and someone had already heard of the problem you were in less than two minutes before hand.

Small communities thrive on everyday stories. It is what makes them so close or draws them so far a part. The idea is not to get involved. The worst scenario for this is joining a chat room for an island community and getting caught up in what is usually information blown so far out of proportion it is awful. If you can avoid it, do so. Your life will be a lot more fulfilling if you remain positive and only share the wonderful experiences of life. Not the negative. It only attracts more of the same. If you are of a negative personality, some islanders will go as far as saying if you don’t like it, get lost. They have a point.

Trouble? Let the Islander’s take care of the Islanders
Huh? Learn this motto. Sometimes when you are new to a community you do not understand the certain dynamics of people, businesses and family heritage. If there are arguments, disagreements, or even fights between islanders…DO NOT GET INVOLVED! This goes for saying throughout the Caribbean. There are quite often generations of feuds between families for one reason or another.

Let me throw out an example. Ambergris Cay off the coast of Belize. Very much a beautiful place to live and enjoy life. You are at a bar one night and a altercation breaks out. Yourself being a fun loving person tries to intervene. It escalates into a brawl or worse. If you become part of it and end up injuring someone, you are more than likely be marked by the adversary and his entire family. These families can be quite extensive.

There are of course a few reasons to help your fellow islanders. If an event threatens property or life, by all means, be a good neighbor. If your neighbor’s home is burning down, do what ever you can with out causing harm to yourself to fight it until the emergency team arrives. If there has been a major accident and you were not involved, by all means, jump on in and help (as silly as this sounds – do not get involved any further). Stay at arms length.

I understand there maybe some of you who disagree with this point and I hope you get to live on an island where this isn’t the norm, but experience says, in the most cases, let the locals take care of the locals.

This is your Land:
You purchase land from a realtor or a local islander without doing your own due diligence. The piece of property you purchased actually belongs to his father of the exact same name. The father did not know the son sold it until after closing. What are you supposed to do? It could be a scam that both are involved in or it maybe that the real owner had know idea. Either way, you can fight it in the corrupt court system of the islands’ judicial system which can take a very, very long time and, It can be very expensive. This s where bribery works for the islander’s.

But, land wars can be very concerning to the purchaser. Make sure: It is very important to use a reputable lawyer and realtor on the island. Those backed by name brand companies such as Re/Max (the largest in the world) have their own in-house ethics to follow and also a corporate ethics standard.

Land wars or disputes are not new in the Caribbean. Actually, this is where many of the family feuds have generated from. Even as far back as the days of the pirates.

To make contact with a  reputable and trust worthy Real Estate on any of the Caribbean Islands, please email FreedomQuestGlobal@Yahoo.com and explain which island you are interested in. Our contacts are thorough and know their business well. Don’t just jump in. Let these broker/agents help you. They will also have a short list of Lawyer’s they use that are trust worthy.

Adult Disneyland
Of course, some couples who move to the Caribbean can fall into a rut/bad habits. Now these Caribbean ruts can be devastating if you do not have some sort of structure. I have seen many times on several islands where young couples, even retired couples, break up because they are in a new culture with new sensations and temptations. Alcohol and drugs are plentiful. People of the opposite sex meet someone stimulating and new. Many Expats call Caribbean islands an “Adult Disneyland.” Sex, drugs and what ever else. It can be had without to much interference from local authorities.

Alcohol is usually a lot cheaper, unless you are in the high end areas such as St. Barts. Drugs are excessively cheap comparatively speaking with Westernized countries.
Doing these types of activities can only last so long before you go into a downward spiral. You will alienate many people you may have become friends with in the community and end up destroying relationships with those closest to you. I say this not to be a preacher, but without structure, the best relationship may not survive.

It is important to enjoy the Caribbean lifestyle but do let it own you. Moderation is the key.

Island Mentality: Mañana, Mañana, Mañana
Island time. It has it’s own clock in fact. Sometimes it can feel like one of the novelty signs you find inside the local bar which says. “Free Beer Tomorrow.” Tricky thing when tomorrow comes, the sign still says, Tomorrow.

If you are used to having prompt and scheduled appointments start on time…now maybe a good time to start changing your expectations. Remember, you are the one moving into the Caribbean state of mind. There is a lot less of the Hurry up and Wait mentality. In fact, it’s a care-free type of mentality. Once you understand the concept that it’s not personal, it’s just the way it is, your blood pressure will drop considerably.

Services
Banks, municipalities, emergency services and even police work under the above motto it feels like. Although some things are changing for the better.

Banks: One of the first annoyances you may come across in the Caribbean culture. I understand some islands are further ahead in development that others but a standard rule of thumb is, pencil in anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours to be back out the door. That’s just for one simple transaction. Banks do not just deal with deposits and withdraws. Some also act as a hub for payments on Pre-paid phones, Electricity bills, Police citations and even credit card payments. It is kind of a one stop shop.

To make the wait even longer the elderly folk over the age of 60 and, soon-to-be mothers can jump to the front of the line which I can completely understand. But get this one. The musical chair system. A woman enters the bank, stands in line until another arrives after her. The first woman sits down until it is almost her turn. She will hop up out of the seat and walk back into her original position. So sometimes when you enter a bank and there are only 5 people in line and it could take 15 minutes to get in and out again. Think again.
I have had 9 people enter before me who had been sitting down. That can be an additional hour. Men are starting to do it more too.

As with many government offices all over the world, they seem to be cut from the same cloth. The workers are not exactly happy with their job or life direction. Their days are usually consumed with negativity brought on by unhappy residents or working conditions. Pushing to get things done in this situation will actually have an adverse affect. Have you heard the saying “you can attract more flies with honey than you do vinegar.” Well as silly as it sounds, being cordial and pleasant will get you further and quicker.

Mail:
The mail system all over the Caribbean is different. Some islands do not even get mail. Nor a simple post office. Many Expats tend to use a mail forwarding company. Depending on the Customs department of the country, it can be quite expensive too.

Bribery and/or Corruption: similar in some ways.
These two words have the same mother but are different in many ways. Usually in Caribbean, or Latin American countries for that matter, corruption and bribery is a way of life. I’ve even bribed my way out of some situations. Usually because I have been pulled over by the police and I may not have my license on me so I pass on a few dollars to let me go on my merry way. If I didn’t, I could be given a citation which means I leave the car where it is. Take a taxi to the bank. Pay for the citation. Take the receipt to the police station to be approved and signed off. Head back to the car and drive off again. This can take a good 3 –4 hours to accomplish. Or, just pass the officer $10.00. Hmmmm. Either way, getting into this habit is not wise.

Corruption is the older brother. A bigger scale when it comes to the islands. These are usually big dealings between businesses, municipalities and tourism. Don’t worry, this is how it works in your city too.

These are just some of the issues you may have to deal with but don’t let any of this sway your decision regarding starting a new life in the Caribbean. More than likely you will never have to experience any of the above if you are prepared.Most of all, make good quality friends and the rest will be great.

The Caribbean is a happy place full of wonderful people happy in their own world. Join them but be understanding of the lifestyle.

When we talk about COLA, it’s not the high fructose, delightfully refreshing Coca Cola we are speaking of. In fact it is not even exciting to speak of at all – COLA – Cost of Living Adjustment….Well, didn’t that tickle?

If the collapse of the markets haven’t done enough to hurt those which we should be grateful for, the US government makes the sting a little more unbearable.  Approximately 50 million Social Security recipients will not receive any increase in social security payments until 2012 (possibly). Actually, it may start shrinking. So I guess COLA can adjust both ways.

There have been increases in SS Cola since 1975 when it was first automated. But, with consumer price deflating (for lack of better words), no increase seems possible. The Fed interest rate remains at an all time low which doesn’t really help when many other parts of a retirees lifestyle is becoming more expensive. And understand that. It is.

Even things as simple as prescription drugs, gasoline or food will all “adjust” higher.  So, could we call this a possible “elderly tax?” Just because the US government is paying less it doesn’t mean that fundamentally that it is a tax. If it’s not in your hands, who hands is it in? Hmmmm.

So when I say, why are you still living in the US?  Your answer would be: Because my grandchildren live close by.  And quite right. Very important. But just a little hint….there are Caribbean and Central American countries that are within a 2 – 3 hour flight time to the US to visit family. Almost everything is less expensive and reasonable. In most cases, A better standard of living.  There. I planted a seed. Let it grow.

Respectfully,

The Freedom Quest Team

Make The Escape.

In a drastic measure, Switzerland’s oldest bank, Wegelin Bank ($18 Billion in holdings) has released a statement that the United States government and the IRS has forced Swiss banks to an “untenable position”. The IRS expects Swiss banks to discover which US citizen’s are liable to pay US taxes. Also stated as “an impossible undertaking”, many of these Swiss banks are discovering how long the arm is of the US government and its IRS, which supposed to stop at the US border.  “The danger of inadvertently making false declarations to the U.S. tax authorities will be too great.”

Now, many of the Swiss banks have declared they will no longer take on any US citizen’s business because it is no longer financially or fundamentally worth the problem or worth their while. Credit Suisse has taken a similar position. This event is also being recognized in England, which could possibly jump on board the same wagon.

The US government seems intent on  scaring their citizens not to invest abroad and in turn, also scaring Tax haven banks from doing business.

So where on earth does this leave us? Apart from being expressly peeved off, there are still many possibilities all over the world that would work just as well as Switzerland.

It should be noted that still many Swiss banks will accept opening new banks accounts from US citizens.

More to follow, stay up to date. Subscribe today

Respectfully,

The Freedom Quest Team

Make the Escape!

Here is an article I discovered through an Investment News publication earlier today:

Advisers who set up clients accounts will likely be on IRS’ radar.

Legitimate offshore banking by wealthy Americans may be the next casualty of the UBS AG tax evasion case.

Having money in an offshore account is perfectly legal as long as it is reported to the Internal Revenue Service and taxes are paid, and many high-net-worth U.S. citizens have offshore accounts to protect their assets from creditors.

But having an offshore account is becoming less attractive, and the aggressive stance of the IRS in the UBS case may be another nail in the coffin, tax attorneys and wealth managers say.

Meanwhile, the widening net of the offshore crackdown is also bound to ensnare financial advisers, said tax specialists, who predict that advisers who helped clients set up offshore accounts will be under heightened scrutiny from the IRS

‘HUGE HOLE’

UBS of Zurich, Switzerland, agreed last week to settle a contentious lawsuit with the U.S. government by releasing information sought by the IRS on 4,450 client accounts. The out-of-court settlement was made public last week. Assets in the accounts, which are presumed to be held by extremely wealthy Americans, were valued at about $18 billion at their peak, according to the IRS.

“The UBS case has clearly alarmed more people,” said Shannon Eusey, president of Beacon Pointe LLC, a wealth management firm in Newport Beach, Calif., with about $4 billion in assets under management.

“I think some of them are asking themselves: “Say, wait a minute, am I that concerned with asset protection?’ This case opened up a huge hole in privacy rights and bank secrecy, and people may wonder what gets opened up next,” Ms. Eusey said.

Offshore tax specialist Charles Fox, a Charlottesville, Va.-based partner for McGuire Woods LLP of Richmond, Va., noted that an increasing number of states now “offer forms of asset protection techniques.”

“People had legitimate offshore accounts for privacy and asset protection reasons,” he said. “But if you don’t have the privacy anymore and you can get asset protection benefits elsewhere, more and more people will say it’s not worth it to have an offshore account.”

What’s more, the IRS has made clear that it is going to look even harder at offshore accounts as a result of the settlement.

The agreement, which was hammered out after months of intense negotiations between the Swiss government and U.S. authorities, “sends an unmistakable message to people hiding income and assets offshore,” IRS commissioner Doug Shulman said during a press conference. “Wealthy Americans who have hidden their money offshore will find themselves in a jam.”

Indeed, the Swiss government agreed also to review IRS requests for information about American accounts in other Swiss banks.

“That’s a key point,” said Caroline Ciraolo, a tax attorney for Rosenberg Martin Greenberg LLP in Baltimore.

‘OPENS THE FLOODGATES’

“It opens the floodgates,” she said. “The disclosure process is going to go on for quite some time.”

In fact, on Friday, the widening scope of the crackdown was underscored by two new indictments obtained by the Justice Department accusing a Swiss banker and lawyer of selling tax evasion services to wealthy clients.

This process is going beyond individual account holders and will ensnare financial professionals who assisted them, tax specialists said.

“Absolutely, advisers will be included,” said Kevin Packman, a partner in the Tampa, Fla.-based law firm Holland & Knight.

“They’re shaking the trees and UBS, and other big institutions are first,” he said. “Financial advisers are next.”

Mr. Fox agrees and thinks that advisers who helped clients set up offshore accounts will be a high priority for the IRS.

“I think, in a way, the IRS is more interested in going after financial advisers than actual clients,” he said.

“If clients with offshore accounts pay what they owe to the government, the IRS tends to give them a pass. But the IRS tends to go after financial advisers who helped create and promote tax evasion techniques, and they may face civil suits and criminal indictments,” Mr. Fox said.

The settlement and the continuing investigation into offshore accounts will affect banks as well as clients, said John Collis, chairman of Conyers Dill & Pearman, an international law firm in Hamilton, Bermuda.

“Banks have been getting out of the business of bank accounts for high-net-worth non-residents for a number of years, and this settlement is bound to perpetuate that trend,” he said.

Another result of the offshore crackdown will be increased diversification of wealthy clients’ assets among banks and wealth managers, said Charles Lowenhaupt, chief executive for Lowenhaupt Global Advisors LLC. The St. Louis-based firm has more than $550 million in assets under management.

“Who is going to put all their money in UBS after something like this?” Mr. Lowenhaupt said. “Now there is an incentive to use five or six different banks in different jurisdictions.”

SEPTEMBER DEADLINE

The settlement also brought renewed attention to the Sept. 23 deadline for the IRS’ voluntary disclosure program, which allows Americans who haven’t reported income in offshore bank accounts to come forward and likely avoid criminal prosecution.

The deadline won’t be extended, Mr. Shulman said.

As part of the agreement with UBS, he said, the bank will send notices to account holders that their information is going to be provided to the IRS.

The notification won’t disqualify them from participating in the voluntary disclosure program, Mr. Shulman said.

But if offshore account holders don’t come forward and their name is given to the IRS later by the Swiss government, “all bets are off,” he said.

And bank customers who don’t receive notices before Sept. 23 won’t be exempt from an IRS review, Mr. Shulman said.

“Any bank customer with unreported offshore income or accounts should come forward now, or face stiffer civil penalties and possible criminal prosecution later,” he said.

Even before the IRS crackdown, investors’ interest in offshore accounts was declining, according to wealth managers.

“I haven’t been seeing the demand,” Ms. Eusey said.

“I don’t think it makes much sense to have offshore accounts if you intend to report all of your income correctly, because foreign companies are not set up to report in a manner consistent with the U.S. tax system,” said David Dunn, managing director of Kingsbridge Private Wealth Management Inc. The Las Vegas-based firm has about $100 million in assets.

And while having an offshore account can be a legitimate strategy for asset protection, it can also be “very expensive,” Mr. Dunn said.

“You have to pay a foreign custodian, a foreign trustee, an investment manager, and your U.S. tax counsel to recast everything into a manner that is reportable to the IRS,” he noted.

Article Source: http://www.investmentnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090823/REG/308239979

Tourism and Investments of all types in the Caribbean and Latin America have been hit relatively hard. But,

Are the winds of change here?

It would seem so. With numbers released yesterday, the UK has had a 1.6% growth in their housing market, while the U.S. market goes from poor to sluggish. That’s a start. Mind you, many are unsure of their future. Job rates are at an all time high across many countries. Banks are still closing, with 6 last Friday alone in the U.S. The price of living has gone up in many ways. Competitive businesses are closing their doors so in some markets monopolies take hold for goods and services. Deficits are growing and taxes, I’m sorry to say, are expected to increase. Yes. More of the “T” word. It will likely be hidden from the consumer. The growth in the government will not help this issue, on either side of the Atlantic.

So what about the Caribbean and the rest of the Americas?

A few days ago I had read an article which I found to be incredibly accurate as with many other Latin American and Caribbean countries touting similar conclusions.

Coming out of Panama:

“The Panama real estate market has suffered along with the rest of the world. But recent months have shown a real up-tick in requests for information stemming from growing numbers of Americans who, discontent and frightened about their financial security, are looking for a way to somehow stop the bleeding.”

Investors are looking for ways to expatriate their assets to more fruitful locations without being ravaged by explosive taxes appearing from the Westernized ABC countries of the world. But in many parts of Latin America and the Caribbean living expenses are far less across the board. Medication is also extremely affordable. My asthma inhaler cost me $78.00 8 years ago at Walgreens with no Rx. With a Rx and co-pay it was $25.00. The exact same name brand inhaler costs me $6.25 out the door here in Latin America. Even a retiree with limited Social Security will be able to live well. So maybe investing in a country ahead of the growth curve should be considered.

Expatriating your investments.

If I remember correctly, a few months ago I watched one of the news channels with U.S. President Obama speaking of his administration wanting to close down the expatriation of money by sometime in 2011. (trying to locate the clip). Does this mean it will be another South Africa where you can only remove a small sum at a time? Or, just another way to track your assets world wide…forcefully? I expect the latter, though I am sure the government would like to take care of this sooner than later. Remember, these governments tax world wide income over a certain amount. Can someone say I want a Private Offshore Company?  It is very nice living in Latin America where they do not have 50,000,000 rules. A country where they will not hand a citation to a 9 year old girl selling Lemonade on a street corner.

Retire? Work? Or do both in Latin America.

Many in the U.S. and the UK have lost a great amount of “worth” because of the markets with no real hope of getting any of it back. So, if one is retired, the obvious choice is coming out from retirement and compete against a younger work force with more energy that can work longer days with less money. That is if you can find employment.

Are you willing to go through all that again or scrape by on what you have left in savings?

Or, you can seek a new and exciting lifestyle somewhere else. The great thing is, it won’t cost too much to find out. If you do want to work, perform your due diligence, and open up a new business in one of these developing countries, go for it. Most governments are keen to have more of their own citizens employed. It is also a great way to be accepted into a new society although, not even close to a necessity.

So what does this have to do with you?

Well, nothing, unless you wish to have a change of lifestyle, and of change of heart. A few changes may well be worth it. It does not mean you turn your back completely from your home country. Nowadays, it has become relatively easy to come back and forth from Latin countries.

But what about Latin American and Caribbean governments…can they be trusted?

Well, ask this question: Can your own government be trusted?

For example: The May election of Ricardo Martinelli, Panama’s president, has lifted confidence in the stability and security of the republic and, as the U.S. and many Latin American countries move closer and closer to socialism, Panama has ‘just said no’. By an overwhelming majority, this little nation–“The Hub of the Americas”. A sure spot for growth.

Honduras too for that matter. On the brink of turning into a dictatorship, the Congress, Supreme Court and the President’s own political party threw him out of the country. Honduras successfully made the move, and the decision, not to become another Venezuela, Nicaragua, or Ecuador. With the entire Honduran government making this stance, it has caught the eye of additional investors who have realized this is a safe country for investment.

Honduras, known as the Original “Banana Republic”  has been lovingly renamed “The little country that did”. Read the real story here. With Honduras elections this November, both main candidates are pro Development, Investment and Tourism. This is excellent news.

I guess what it all comes down to is your own security in a decision where the worst that will happen is living life in an exciting new place doesn’t suit. Or, wake up on a day like this morning, inhale a huge lung-full of crisp clean air and say, Thank you. I LOVE MY LIFE.

Make The Escape

Respectfully,

The Freedom Quest Global Team

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BANKING PRIVACY – What’s going on??

As Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Cayman’s and similar authorities are known for their Offshore and Private Banking industry, they do not seem to hold up to the pressure or scrutiny of the American, English or EU governments. Earlier this week more than 300 banks have been ordered to hand over details of customers with offshore bank accounts to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in London. HMRC estimates around 5,000 Britons hold between £2 billion and £3 billion offshore.

The U.S. and Swiss governments announced a settlement in efforts to force Zurich-based UBS AG to turn over the names of some 52,000 Americans believed to be hiding nearly $15 billion in assets in secret accounts. There is anywhere from 8 – 10,000 of those expected to be named “tax-dodgers” in the IRS’ view. The US government is not releasing the names but are currently holding a 6 month amnesty for all who are evading taxes to place what they owe in a hat without prosecution.  It is not specifically known how many of the 52,000 will be identified or prosecuted. (I guess the government expects to get a little more money out of the deal by scaring those who maybe completely legitimate, into submission. Go figure). The amnesty program, ends Sept. 23. 2009.

You Tube:  End of Swiss Banking Privacy?

Liechtenstein and Switzerland are still vehemently opposed to giving up their policy of confidentiality between banks and their clients, but the President of the EU Banking Association says:

It’s about how far a government is prepared to invade the privacy of people holding bank accounts.

(Could this be the end of Alpine countries privacy banking system?). Where next…

Now, lets look at the “USSA” for example. The government is nearing the $12 Trillion mark. That is one big OUCH!  Where will they start pulling the money in from to pay down this debt? It is estimated that each US citizen is now in debt over $30,000 each, towards this deficit. Since September 2006, the government continues to sink further into debt by an astonishing $1.3 Billion…with a “B”, every single day.

If you were to keep your money in a country where the government continues to play “Craps” with your hard earned dollars, what do you think they are going to tax next when they throw the next #7? CRAP.  So once you have paid your income tax requirements, why would you continue to keep it placed in a bad investment when you can invest or bank offshore that offers so much more? Just a thought.

With another 37+ countries out there that the US is claiming to have Offshore Banking capabilities, we will look at Panama. The more we read the more we are impressed about Panama and the Panamanian offshore banking system. The country does not seem to rely on anyone. It is almost impossible to pressure them with sanctions. Panama is an absolutely thriving market for banks and international business, including being a prominent figure as a major world transportation lane. But, are there some finer points to this we may all be missing. There are some issues we should be aware of?

Upcoming Posts: FQG will look into Panamanian Offshore Banking system next week.

Make The Escape,

Respectfully,

The Freedom Quest Global Team

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SPOTLIGHT DESTINATION – ROATAN

In Freedom Quest Global’s first Spotlight Destination, we look at the growing island of Roatan. An island approximately 40 miles long and up to 3 miles wide which makes up one of the three main islands in this archipelago known as Bay Islands.

Located on the very edge of the planet’s second largest reef system and the Cayman Trench, Roatan is a stunning mountain ridge launching itself from the Caribbean Sea, hundreds of feet into the air. It is not a sand bar such as many Caribbean islands (eg. Ambergris Cay in Belize). Far from it. The diversity is dramatic with large undulating hills, deep green tropical forests and perfect white sand beaches that are encompassed by stunning shades of blue. I can also vouch for this because I live here myself. These were my thoughts from the first week I spent on Roatan…5 years ago now.

You can go to any ABC websites about Roatan and they will undoubtedly tell you all the interesting history on Roatan such as being a favorite hideout for many Pirates and Buccaneers back in the day. Or how the Garifuna slaves were abandoned by the English. But, what I want to tell you about is the energy and the peacefulness of an island I am now calling my fourth home. I will also sneak in information of where we see Roatan is heading.

The first year I spent much of my time traveling the island photographing ev-er-ry-thing that was interesting to me. I would have taken a photo of the Monkey Lala lizard (Basilisk) running across my deck right now with a bug in its mouth because it was all new. I was taken by the beauty. The Animals, reptiles and birds were all new to me and everywhere. I took every small dirt road I could find on the island to make discoveries. I felt like I was one of the first to discover many of these areas…Reality check. Several centuries too late, I know.

Unfortunately I had a problem. A very serious issue as a Kiwi who wanted to experience everything. I am what you would classify as a “paranoid of the ocean guy”. Yes. Big old 6’1” Kiwi bloke scared of a little water. I’ll never live it down. But, the stories and locations I have heard about from the thousands of diver’s that come to experience this vibrant reef system have been wonderful. Roatan is consumed with divers day in day out week after week. What should be noted are most of the dive spots occur between Anthony’s Key Resort and West Bay Beach…about 3-4 mile stretch. A vast majority of the island has not been taken advantage of by the diving industry. This is due to the many afternoon and evening events to be had. Bars and restaurants.

Roatan is similar to a small town, anywhereville. Everybody knows you and will be there for you if needed. Yes, we do have very small percentage of really “interesting” folks too. A vast majority of expatriates live towards the West and North Western side of the island, where the sun goes down and bars/restaurants come alive. A great place to be located. Those who wish to live a very quite lifestyle, the entire island east of French Harbor can settle their hermit wishes.

Two favored areas of Roatan among Expats and Travelers:

West Bay which is full of small resorts lined up along the beautiful white powdered sand beach, butting up to the Western tip. It has fantastic snorkeling channels and sparsely any current within the reef which makes it a great destination for snorklers. The only real issue in parts of West Bay Beach are the taxi boats parading for fares. For Resorts, check www.infinitybayroatan.com. If the resort settings are not to your liking, there are many vacation homes available . Check out www.Westbayvillage.com as they have some great properties available and they are at the top of their game.

West End, the night spot of the entire island. A simple sand road that parallels the Caribbean Sea is lined with scores of dive shops, gift shops, restaurants and bars of all sorts. Most travelers tend to visit at least once during their vacation if they were not staying in West End already. The people are so friendly it’s hard to explain…Lets just say it can take 7 minutes to walk to the www.sundownersroatan.com if I don’t see anybody. Rare, but in all reality, it can easily take 30+ minutes once you’ve said hi to everybody and caught up on the latest news. Cruise ship days can make West End a little packed with buses dropping off snorklers, sightseers and shoppers. They tend to leave within a couple of hours. Great for local business and adds an additional dynamic to this little village.

Between the Western tip of Roatan and the main commercial hub of Coxen Hole there are many areas such as Milton Bight, Gibson Bight, Sandy Bay and Lawson Rock which are growing. Especially with Expats. It offers the opportunity to purchase very nice affordable properties outside of busy West End but still only a few minutes drive to Amenities.

Coxen Hole is the commercial area of Roatan. This is where most of the business is taken care of such as paying bills, banks, groceries etc. In 2007, Royal Caribbean leased the Roatan cruise ship dock on a 20 year lease. RCL is investing an additional 19 million dollars to extend the dock and build a commercial area for tourists. An estimated 200,000+ passengers debark yearly from this location.

The next notable point on the island is a location known as Dixon Cove. This will be renamed Mahogany Bay as Carnival Cruise Lines have purchased a 20+ year lease. They are investing over 54 million dollars to build a two birth dock for their cruise ships and a very large commercial area. This is set to open November 2009 (this year) ready for the upcoming season. Carnival has placed an estimate of approximately an additional 700,000 passengers debarking at this location alone.

French Harbor in past years was amazingly busy because of fisheries such as Lobster and Shrimp boats. As much of this business has been consumed by the conglomerates, French Harbor has been trying to discover a new identity. And it has. The largest cargo business in the islands Hybur/Hyde Shipping is located here as well as many industrial and building suppliers. The newest development in this area is the construction of the island’s first Mall…of any real substance. Set to open in the coming months It will be named the Megaplaza, but a far cry from what we are used to in the Western world. A few “chain” businesses are opening up such as Wendy’s and Appleby’s, along with electronics, clothing, department and other merchandise stores. This will be a welcome focal point for French Harbor as it to is a growing area.

Just East of the main French Harbor intersection is the entrance to the newest and most exciting development on the island according to many. Scaling the paved switchbacks to the ridgeline reveals an absolutely dramatic view of the golf course development. It is the Pristine Bay Resort & The Black Pearl Golf Course. A Pete Dye Design and the first and only course on the islands. This is a 400+ acre development with Villas, Homesites, Condos, Beach Club and 155 slip Marina docking up to 200 foot Motor Yachts. Absolutely gorgeous. (The first phase Villas are sold out as half of the Homesites as of this writing) . For hassle-free information and a free media kit, send an email to the following address, they will most certainly help you with your requests: RoatanGolf@Yahoo.com.

Mid Island (French Harbor) – East is peaceful, beautiful but with limited things to do. The odd places of interest like the Iguana Farm, is where they have over 3,000 protected reptiles to feed, great for children. Or, Oakridge where you may take a taxi boat to Hole-in-the-Wall restaurant for a great Friday afternoon lunch and experience the Mangrove Tunnels. The last third of Roatan is still dirt road and did not have any real infrastructure as such until about 18 months ago when electricity was installed. All thanks to a Billionaire Texan, Kelsey Warren, who purchased the local power company and updated the grid. Almost the entire island has power now. There is one location on the South East side of the island, nothing much to see or do yet, but it is called Port Royal. A location known for Pirate battles. There are some old gun placements etc. you may still find. There has also been the odd story floating around of people finding treasure too.

Property further to the East is a lot less expensive than that of the expat communities towards the West. So, if you wish for a long term investment in a Caribbean island that will grow dramatically over the coming years, It may be an idea to make some inquires. Roatanfirst@yahoo.com. There is one place you should stay for a night or two, or at least visit. It is called Paya Bay Resort. There is a beautiful private bay with a gorgeous beach lined with coconut trees. At the resort make sure you make use of their wonderful deck with cooling trade winds. Having that local beer such as Port Royal or Salva Vida (also commonly known as Green or Brown based on the color of the bottles) will certainly relax you.

Roatan is literally a blend of backpackers, vacationers, investors, developers, speculators, business folk, local islanders and mainlanders. I could also describe this as a melting pot as people from all walks of life – American, Canadian, English, Dutch, Australian, New Zealander’s, South Africans, Latin Americans and many, many more congregate to this inspiring place. There are very few race issues on the island so feeling comfortable in your environment should be second nature. Although, some may say different the further East you go with the elderly who have seen their island change. Their children mind you are focused on the future.

What About the Future:
When I first arrived there was one direct flight per week, now there are several which include direct flights from Atlanta (Delta), Houston, Miami (Continental, Taca), as well as seasonal flights from New York, and just released this week, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa starting December. See Sunwing.

Royal Caribbean and Carnival will be boosting passenger traffic 250,000 people per year currently, to approx 900,000+ in 2010. This is only a small part of the investment going into the Bay Islands which also includes Real Estate, Banks, Hospitals, Golf Course and a large Mega Mall. According to Canaturh, Roatan’s Toruism Office, Investing and developing new businesses now will put you ahead of the curve for growth potential. It is certainly a place to keep a close eye on for fantastic investment potential. Roatan has been equaled to the Cayman’s or similar islands of 15+ years ago. Look at their prices now! Noting a recent article from Roatan, “Real Estate has declined the past year as we have been a cash economy, but investors remain solid. There are no such deals as Short Sales or Foreclosures by the banks, but there are certainly great buys to be had”. The standard of living is good, with almost all the amenities one could wish for, and if you cannot find it here, it is a 12 minute flight to the mainland. Also, how can you beat the possibility of living on a Caribbean island only a 2-hour flight from the US.

Contact www.RoatanFirst.com for investment opportunities, residency, work permit information, banking, or starting a business. They will make sure they send you the right direction. Direct email: RoatanFirst@Yahoo.com.

We at Freedom Quest Global feel Roatan, and the Bay Islands, are a place to keep a close eye on for Investments of all kinds, including Retirement or a second home in the very near future.

Respectfully,

The Freedom Quest Global Team

Make The Escape

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Viva Libertad de Honduras!

Oh where do I start in this extremely inspiring story of a small country that exiled a President to protect their own Democracy.

Back on June 27th of this year, Honduras, known as the original Banana Republic, was a very laid back and quiet country which had been living in peace for decades as the country grew. The Copan Ruins were a high point of many vacationers. The Bay Islands of Honduras, especially Roatan, is the focus for the busiest vacation destination in all of Honduras. Direct flights several times a week, two major cruise ship ports (one scheduled to open November 2009), a new PGA style Pete Dye Golf Course (under development) and spectacular diving on the second largest reef in the world brought people from all over. On June 28th this became quite different.

Very early morning on the 28th of June, the Honduran Military, supported by the National Police stormed the Presidential Palace to arrest and exile President Manuel Zelaya. He was forced onto a military plane and flown to the neighboring country of Costa Rica with the knowledge that if he was to return he will be arrested and tried for Treason against the Fatherland, Fraud, and Criminal actions for supporting Venezuelan Narco Trafficking, just to name a few of the 19 plus charges.

Everybody in Honduras woke up to the idea they had no President and General Vasquez, head of the Honduran Military was now running the country. A Coup d’etat!. (This could not be further from the truth – but let me continue) Coup’s, have not been seen for years in Central or South America unless you count President Hugo Chavez who lead the bloodiest Coup ever in the Latin Americas of recent decades.

Those following days were to show the tremendous might and perseverance of the Honduran people. From the first day, the ousted President Zelaya had a world platform. Acting victimized, he spoke at an emergency assembly at the UN, to having urgent meetings with the OAS (Organization of American States) and international media. Zelaya, known as the puppet of Chavez in Honduras, has learned to promote Leftism shrouded in the façade of Democracy. Zelaya was elected on his ideals of being a Centrist but immediately made a left turn once in office. Can this be done effectively? Chavez–Venezuela, Ortega-Nicaragua, Morales–Bolivia etc., they had all promoted a democracy but once in power claimed the side of Leftist and communist ideals.

Assigned to Honduran Presidency was Roberto Michelleti, the head of Congress, also an ally of Zelaya’s political party. For days Zelaya had the world at his beckoned call asking for help while painting a picture of a brutal coup against him. Everybody jumped on the band wagon in support of the ousted President, including the US administration, OAS and the UN without any Due Diligence.

Demonstrations started in support of Zelaya. A few thousand people brandishing the Sandinista colors of Red and Black. Chavez became very outspoken and started throwing all sorts of derogatory comments and idle threats towards the new government, while backed by his other puppets of Ortega, Morales and the Castro brother’s from Cuba.

How could this be? President Obama and US Head of State Clinton siding with the Far Left? All of a sudden people are starting to wonder about the US President, “How could he be siding with a Leftist Dictatorship like Chavez”? It was unfathomable. (Realistically, I feel the US is playing a very cunning game of speaking out to have Zelaya reinstated but not pushing the issue with sanctions or a harder response. I expect the US is wanting this to play itself out until the new elections in November).

As the first few days passed something admirable started to emerge. People who approved of the ousting formed groups. Not just in the hundreds. Nor the thousands. Actually the tens and tens of thousands and marched peacefully all over Honduras, even in groups over 70,000+ at one location.

Unfortunately the International media has been far from helpful. We all know what Media sensationalism is about. “There is no profit in peace” I have heard numerous occasions when it comes to media. The band of a few thousand, at most, have rallied behind the ousted President. New evidence has come forth showing that many of these protesters are hired gang members and the poor from Nicaragua being paid up to $25 per day, from Venezuela, to cause disruptions, road blocks, burning cars, tires, vandalism etc. It is part of the Chavezta play book. This is what is reported. In reality, there is no excitement or ratings for international TV of the hundreds-of-thousand pro interim government ally’s from both parties marching peacefully and supporting the exile of Zelaya.

Additionally, many people from all walks of life throughout the country of Honduras have set up their own groups to hit Congress and Senators, Media, Journalists, Ambassadors from all over the world to illustrate what really happened on June 28th of this year. It is quite surprising all the evidence that has come out. In short, Honduran Congress voted 125-3 to vacate Zelaya from office, backed by the Supreme Court & Attorney general who provided the arrest warrant. That’s not all, even Zelaya’s very own political party overwhelmingly approved his dismissal. Please view Research Category for this info: The Chain of Events in the Honduras Crisis. A MUST READ. This will explain in detail what legally and constitutionally happened leading up to June 28th, 2009.

The first matter of business was proving that this was not a Coup D’ etat. How does a country do that when Zelaya was the democratically elected President and he has an international platform? Certainly this would be an uphill battle for all. As 20/20 hindsight, it may have been better to use the Police backed by the military but General Vasquez showed he was pro-constitution and could be trusted to uphold the court order. Vasquez must be commended as he upheld his oath to protect the constitution and the people of Honduras when he accepted the top Military appointment.

90% of the country has shown in the polls that Honduran’s approve of the ousting. Either way there are the national elections coming up on November 29th between two democratically elected front runners from the Primaries held before Zelaya’s ousting. These candidates are pro-development, pro-investments and pro-democracy and agree on the ousting. Out of the several past presidents of Honduras, only one does not approve of Zelaya’s dismissal.

A few weeks ago, late July, a fact finding mission arrived in Tegucigalpa (Honduras’ capital) headed by US Congressman Connie Mack of Florida. Senator DeMint and many other Republican’s have also become very out spoken on Honduras’ behalf trying to make headway in the Obama government. A Honduran delegation flew to Washington to present these facts. A letter was written and signed by over a dozen senators who all agree this is reprehensible that the US sides with Zelaya. Please see Letter to Clinton.

There has been so much propaganda that it’s hard to know who to believe while watching US or International media.

Following is an excerpt from Jaime Daremblum who served as Costa Rica’s ambassador to the United States from 1998 to 2004, is director of the Center for Latin American Studies at the Hudson Institute.

* While myriad foreign leaders have denounced Zelaya’s removal, Chavez has been the most vociferous. Mind you, in the early 1990s Chavez was convicted and served jail time for leading an attempted coup in Venezuela. Today, his angry response and wild threats indicate just how much is at stake in Honduras. Zelaya was a close Venezuelan ally. His ouster represents a major defeat for the “Bolivarian revolution” that Chavez has promoted in countries across the region. If Honduras’s democratic institutions prevail in their efforts to block Zelaya’s return, they will have scored a landmark victory over Chavismo. Governments and politicians throughout Latin America will take notice. It may become more difficult for other Chavez acolytes to subvert democracy.

This excerpt in itself explains so much. If it can happen in Honduras…where will it happen next? You can count this as Honduras’ 2009 Freedom day…independence from a possible dictatorship.

You think this has been complicated? There are certainly other pieces of information I have left out due to making this “spotlight” way to long. The increasing pressures and sanctions from international countries. The pause of foreign aid. Trade routes closed. Curfews. Airport delay’s. Porto Cortez…the largest port in Latin America including the US bound goods for the Gulf of Mexico. Narco trafficking from Venezuela. The OAS (Organization of American States) a body over looking the continuation of democracy in Latin America presided over by the Leftist Insulza, Chavez, Castros etc…(sounds fair and legitimate doesn’t it). And the list goes on. Thankfully, Zelaya’s mission is all but dead in the water. He is his own worst enemy – especially after embarrassing and being dramatically rude to the President of Mexico this past week as he was handed the keys to the City.

We will keep you posted to the outcome. Viva Libertad de Honduras.

Respectfully,

Freedom Quest Global Team

Make The Escape!

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March 23, 2009: President Zelaya passes an Executive Decree ordering a National Survey asking citizens if they would approve a Constitutional Assembly that would write and approve a new constitution. The Decree stated that the National Institute of Statistics (INE) would carry the survey out. However, he did not publish the decree in Honduras’ official newspaper called La Gaceta as required by law.
This decree violated the following articles in the Constitution:

• Article 255 for not having published the decree in the Gaceta.
• Article 5 which states that only Congress (with a majority vote of 2/3) can define a National Survey and NOT the Executive branch.
• Article 5 which states that only the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) con conduct/execute a National Survey and NOT the National Statistics Institute (INE).
• His actions implied intent to violate Article 374, a “Petreos” Article, which states that only five articles in the entire constitution (with a total of 378 articles) cannot be amended or reformed. Two of those five articles refer to the duration of the presidential period (Art. 237) and the prohibition of presidential reelection (Art. 4).

By May 27, 2009: The National Prosecutor, the Attorney General and the Supreme Court had unanimously ruled the National Survey decree as illegal and it was ANULLED.

June 5, 2009: President Zelaya’s lawyer appeals the ruling.

June 16, 2009: The Appeal Court unanimously confirms that the National Survey decree is indeed illegal and therefore ANULLED.

• The State Prosecutor’s Office (Ministerio Publico) informs the Armed Forces that the National Survey is illegal and therefore, the Armed Forces must not carry out its constitutionally-assigned responsibility to act as guardians of the Public Survey ballots. The Armed Forces apply Article 323 that states that no public official, whether civil or military, can be forced to comply with an illegal order and thus refuse to carry out President Zelaya’s order to safeguard the ballots and election/survey. That same day, the State Prosecutor’s Office also advise President Zelaya and his entire cabinet of the Appeals Court ruling against the decree.

June 19, 2009: The State Prosecutor’s Office formally advises President Zelaya, a second time, that the National Survey is illegal.

June 25th, 2009: Only three days before his announced and illegal survey, President Zelaya issues a second presidential decree again calling for a National Survey. But this time, he goes all the way and publishes it in the Gaceta. However, he makes changes to the wording in the decree. Instead of ordering “a Public Opinion Survey,” as he had worded the previous decree, he now changes the words to read, “Public Opinion Survey Convening a Constitutional Assembly.” This changes the legal interpretation of this decree entirely, and would’ve allowed for an immediate Constitutional Assembly to convene and disintegrate the three powers defined in the Constitution, effectively interrupting Constitutional Order.
With the publishing of this decree in the Gaceta, President Zelaya himself kicks into motion Article 239 which states that “whomever changes or attempts to change” article 4 (an unchangeable “petreos” article protected by Article 374) relating to the alternability of the presidential position, “will be immediately removed from public office” and lose his/her constitutional powers.
NOTE: This is very important! As soon as the decree was published, President Zelaya automatically stopped being president and became a regular citizen.

June 26, 2009: The Courts, along with the Attorney General and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, order the Armed Forces to confiscate all National Survey ballots and voting material that had just arrived by plane.

That same day, in blatant disregard to all court rulings, Citizen Manuel Zelaya gathers a group of protesters and proceeds to the Air Force warehouse where the ballots had been impounded. He threatens with force and uses human shields, risking other citizens’ lives. Calling on Article 59, which states that the protection of “human life is the Constitution and the state’s supreme responsibility/obligation,” the Armed Forces yield to the mob and allow Citizen Zelaya and his human shields to take the ballots by force.

Immediately, the Supreme Court issues an arrest warrant for Citizen Manuel Zelaya for the crimes of (a) attempts against the form of government, (b) treason to the country, (c) abuse of authority, and (d) usurpation of functions belonging to other branches of government. The Supreme Court orders the Armed Forces to serve this arrest warrant because according to Article 272, the Armed Forces has the constitutionally-assigned responsibility to maintain and protect the alternability of the presidential office.

June 27, 2009: Country leaders meet intermittently throughout the day in an effort to find an alternate means of resolving the situation without recurring to an arrest that would incite unrest and possible violence within certain segments of the population. In the meantime, the Armed Forces study Citizen Zelaya’s agenda in order to determine the best moment to execute the arrest with the least risk to the lives of Citizen Zelaya and the Presidential Guards surrounding him.

June 28, 2009: Having found no better time for the arrest, at 5:45AM, the Armed Forces capture Citizen Zelaya in his home. The arrest is successful without any injuries or deaths on both sides. Citizen Zelaya is instructed to get dressed, but wanting to be victimized, he refuses, only grabbing his passport and wallet (with the presidential palace’s credit card, by the way).

The Armed Forces decide to put Citizen Zelaya on the presidential plane and take him to Costa Rica where he is left behind. The Armed Forces and whoever else decided to expatriate Citizen Zelaya violated Article 102 which states that “no Honduran can be expatriated or surrendered to a foreign government.”

The Armed Forces is defending its decision by arguing that they again relied on Article 59 (protection of human life as supreme obligation of the state). They said that, in this case, breaking the law (art. 102) actually saved lives since they felt that placing Citizen Zelaya in a Honduran prison would’ve incited violence, unrest, and possible harm to Citizen Zelaya himself. Nonetheless, the State Prosecutor’s Office has started an investigation into this crime.

Per Article 242, when the President is absent and when the Vice President is absent (or resigned in Honduras’ case), the third instance is the President of Congress. Thus, the President of Congress, Roberto Micheletti, became President of Honduras.

Points that are important to consider:

1. Petreos means “written in stone.” The petreos articles are defined in Article 374. Article 374 protects these five petreos articles from ever being amended NO MATTER WHAT. Presidential alternability (Art. 4) is one of them and the four-year presidential period (Art. 237) is another.
2. Article 323 states that “all government officials are subject to the law and that no one is above it.” The Constitution does not allow for immunity to any government official including the President. Thus, if no immunity exists, then there can be neither impeachment nor the process for it. Even a President would have to be served with an arrest warrant just like any other citizen.
3. International opinion is arguing that this is a coup d’etat because we ousted President Zelaya by force. But on June 28th, he was no longer President Zelaya! He was ordinary Citizen Zelaya. We still broke the law when we expatriated a citizen; but it wasn’t the president.
4. International opinion criticizes us for having used a Letter of Resignation as opposed to having judged him based on his legal transgressions and crimes. I’ll concede that mistake.
5. Further matters that complicated things:
   a. U.S. Ambassador in Honduras, Hugo Llorens, slept right by the early morning arrest and expatriation of Citizen Zelaya. He woke yelling, “Coup! Coup!” without inquiring into the matter at 9AM.
   b. It was another mistake to drop Citizen Zelaya off in Costa Rica, home to a globally-respected and admired, Nobel Peace Prize President. Unfortunately President Oscar Arias also condemned us without having heard our side of the story and yelled, “Coup! Coup!” at 9:30AM. The world heard him.
   c. By the time the Honduran Congress adjourned the assembly that day at noon, the entire world had unilaterally and unjustly condemned us and the word “Coup” now defined what we had done.

International organisms like the OAS and the UN will NOT go back on their judgement and lose any more of their floundering public credibility. The OAS and the UN have to “stick to their guns” while a poor, small country that defended its constitution against the true corrupters of democracy (Chavez, etc.) plunges into poverty and becomes a pariah state.

I have but one question that I would like to ask the international community that is so adamant about not recognizing our existing government and is so vociferous at demanding that Honduras reinstate our criminal ex President Zelaya:

What part of our Constitution would you force us to change, amend or erase so that we can reinstate Manuel Zelaya as President of Honduras without breaking the law?