Tobago Fact File

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Port-of-Spain

1,300,000 (1994)

English

Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TT$) (TTD1=100 Cents)

$1, $5, $10, $20, $100

1 cent, 5, 10, 25, 50

A floating rate system is in force. Currently $1US=$6.24TT; $1CDN = $4.48TT

$100TT (must be paid in local currency)

10% service charge, 10% Hotel Room Tax

15% on goods and services

Summer: EST (Eastern Standard Time), equivalent to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)-5 hours; Winter: EST+1, GMT-4. Daylight savings time is not observed in Trinidad and Tobago.

39.6% African descent 40.3% East Indian descent 18.4% Mixed descent 0.6% European descent 0.4% Chinese descent 0.2% other 0.4% Not stated

1 (868) + seven (7) digit local number

Piarco International Airport, 17 miles (27 km) from Port of Spain (airport code "POS")

Crown Point International Airport, 7 miles (10 km) from Scarborough (airport code "TAB")

Air Canada, American Airlines, BWIA International Airways, British Caledonian, LIAT, Air Caribbean, Surinam Airways, and several Charter Operators.

Police: call 999 Fire & Ambulance: call 990

Travelers cheques and credit cards are accepted by most establishments. For Customs and Excise purposes only cash is accepted

115 volts/230 volts (+/- 6%); 60hz

Appointments should be made in advance. For meetings, men should wear a lightweight suit, this may be alternated with blazer and tie. Women should wear equivalent suit. It is customary to shake hands on meeting and taking leave. Business cards are exchanged after introductory formalities. Some companies/individuals are quite formal whereas others rapidly dispense with formalities once the initial introductions have been made.

These agencies have their main corporate offices in Port of Spain and maintain international links through their affiliates in North America and Europe.

Scotia Bank, First Citizens Bank, Republic Bank. Royal Bank

Banking hours are 0800-1400hrs Monday to Thursday, 0900-1200hrs and 1500-1700hrs on Fridays.

Major shopping malls also either contain ABMs (Automated Banking Machines) or full service branches and generally keep later opening hours ranging from 0800 - 1800hrs. The banking system features LINX, which enables client access to accounts from any ABM regardless of agency in the country. LINX can also be used to make purchases at retail outlets throughout the country. ABMs can also be used to access advance cash withdrawals for VISA, MasterCard and VISA Plus clients.

Retail Outlets: 0800-1600hrs on Monday to Thursday and Friday until 1800hrs. Retail outlets based at shopping malls remain open till 2100hrs.

Offices: 0800 - 1600hrs Monday to Friday.