THE CARIBBEAN: A GUIDE TO INVESTMENT DESTINATIONS

		St.Lucia

St. Lucia is truly the Jewel in the Caribbean. This island paradise has something for everyone and is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean. To The north of island is where the capital Castries is located and also the main concentration of hotels and tourist hot spots. Towards the southern part of island is the world famous Pitons which recently received a world heritage status. The southern part is very relaxed and has some of the most dramatic vistas in the world. Other tourist attractions include the world's only drive-in volcano, Sulfur Springs (at Soufriere), the Botanical Gardens, rain forests and Pigeon Island National Park, which is home to world renowned St.Lucia Jazz Festival.

The island, with its fine natural harbour at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.

As a second home or holiday destination it is the ideal choice and as an investment you cannot go wrong. The property market in St.Lucia is booming and foreign investment is increasing at a rapid rate. To purchase property in St. Lucia is fairly easy for non-nationals. Lawyer's fees, Vendor's tax and Stamp Duty is usually 2% of property value plus a % of property value, according to the following scale: Property value: Fee: Up to 50,000 is 2.5%. Between 51,000 and 150,000 is 1.5%, between 151,000 and 1 million is 1% and over 1 million is 0.5%. The Currency is tied to the US dollar and is the EC Dollar.