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As a Commonwealth Realm, Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of Grenada and Head of State. The Crown is represented by a Governor-General but executive power rests with the Head of Government, the Prime Minister. Although appointed by the Governor-General, the Prime Minister is usually the leader of the largest faction in the Parliament.
The Parliament consists of a Senate (13 members) and a House of Representatives (15 members). The senators are appointed by the government and the opposition, while the representatives are elected by the population for 5-year terms.
Approximately 102,000 people inhabit Grenada, including the 8,000 inhabitants of Carriacou and the 600 residents of Petite Martinique. The nation’s citizens are primarily of African, East-Indian and European descent, with the largest proportion of the population, approximately 75%, of African descent. English is the official language of Grenada.
Average temperatures range from 75ºF to 85ºF (24ºC to 30ºC), tempered by the steady and cooling trade winds. The lowest temperatures occur between November and February. Due to Grenada’s remarkable topography, the island also experiences climate changes according to altitude. The driest season is between January and May. Even during the rainy season, from June to December, it rarely rains for more than an hour at a time and generally not every day. The climate is tropical: hot and humid in the rainy season and cooled by the trade winds in the dry season.
The official currency of Grenada is the Eastern Caribbean dollar, which is also used throughout most of the Eastern Caribbean. Notes are issued in denominations of $100, 50, 20, 10, 5.
Coins are issued in denominations of $1 and 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1cents. The exchange rate is tied to the US dollar at a rate of $2.68. Travelers cheques and most major credit cards are also widely accepted.
There is a wide variety of forest trees, Mahogany and Gommier trees and many types of tropical flowers, indigenous plants and shrubs grow throughout the island.
Birds found on the islands include the hummingbird, egret, dove, and wild pigeon; also to be found are the Broad winged hawk, Lesser Antillean Swift and the Purple throated Carib. Characteristic wildlife includes the armadillo, opossum, agouti, and monkey.
The waters around Grenada are teeming with interesting sea life and here you will find the most breathtaking underwater scenery. The reefs are composed of finger coral, sea whips, sea fans, brain coral, pillar coral, black coral and deepwater gorgonians plus lots of colourful sponges, hydroids and soft coral.
Also in abundance are rock beauties, angel fish, tang, grunts, damsel, blennys, parrot fish, trigger fish, jaw fish, spotted drum, moral eels, snake eels, lobsters, nurse sharks, barracudas, eagle rays, turtles, groupers and mackerels.
Locals and visitors alike enjoy a unique dive product, both topside and underwater. Both Grenada and Carriacou are known for spectacular walls and wrecks, with sharks, turtles, lobsters and giant moray eels gliding against the backdrop of soft coral forest, striking reefs and sponges. The two islands offer a variety of dive sites with breathtaking Under-water scenery and abundant marine life.
Whether you prefer to walk, drive your own vehicle or take the public transportation, it is very easy to get around the Grenada.
Taking the time to get from one place to the next is a great way to enjoy Grenada. Not only is it fun and healthy but also allows you to meet local people along the way and brings you close to the tastes, smells and sounds of the island, especially along the waterfront.
Renting a vehicle in Grenada for at least part of your stay is often the easiest and most economical way to get around, especially if you plan to explore. You will require a temporary driver’s license, which is obtained at any car rental agency by presenting a valid driver’s license and paying a US$12.00-$15.00 fee. Most car hire agencies have a minimum age requirement. Remember that driving is on the left side throughout Grenada. Most vehicles are right-hand drive, while most 4x4’s have left-hand stick shift.
Need a Car Rental? Find Car Rental listings in the Grenada Yellow Pages.
The Street taxis provide good service, but it is a good idea to first find out how much they charge for the trip before entering the vehicle.
Taxicabs in Grenada can be identified by the letter “H” on the vehicle’s registration plate. Taxis from the Maurice Bishop International Airport in Grenada and hotels offer fixed rate fares. And while you can flag down a taxi on the street, it’s always a good idea to first confirm the rate for the fare before entering a cab.
Find complete Taxi Services listings in the Grenada Yellow Pages.
In the capital town of St.George’s, there are even water taxis which will take you across the Carenage, to the Esplande or even as far as Grand Anse Beach.
PUBLIC TRANSIT
The most economical way of getting around Grenada are the public mini buses, that travel around the entire island. Buses travel regularly on weekdays between 7:00 am through 7:00 pm.
Grenada public buses will stop wherever you want, except in St. George, where there are specific bus stops. Travel between St. George to Grand Anse costs EC$2.50 per passenger. The bus terminal is located in St. George on Melville Street, where you can catch a bus to anywhere on the island. The destination of each bus is clearly marked with a sticker, making bus travel in Grenada simple.
Grenada is in the news and the outlook for its residential real estate market is upbeat. There is a “fresh new look” about the place after the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004. Peripheral headlinecatching news have also contributed to the island’s public awareness. Such matters as the Chelsea Flower Show in which the island holds a pre-eminent place (five Golds in the last six years) and the award of the first Victoria Cross in decades to a Grenadian soldier serving in the British Army in Iraq (Private Johnson Beharry, VC) have kept the island in the public eye.
Additionally, the over-saturation of development land in nearby high-priced islands works to Grenada’s advantage. Unlike some of its coral-based neighbours, Grenada is a volcanic island. It therefore has more than sun, sea and sand – this is not a Caribbean Costa. It has mountains, rainforests, waterfalls and among the most fertile of soils to be found in the tropics, with a vital agricultural sector based on nutmeg and mace, cinnamon, ginger, clove, cocoa, high-grade tropical fruit for the organic market and cut flowers. Hence its name : The Spice Isle.
Buying Property in Grenada
Newcomers to Grenada generally live in established residential developments in stunning waterfront locations. The principal residential areas are in Westerhall Point, L’Anse aux Epines, True Blue, Fort Jeudy and Egmont Harbour. New residential developments are also under construction in the parish of St David’s (Bacolet Beach and Marquis). The common feature of all such developments is the easterly breeze. In the tropics the real estate mantra of ‘Location Location Location’ should be prefaced by ‘Breeze Breeze Breeze’. You cannot get enough of it. You do not decide on a property after visiting it at nine o’clock in the morning – you try it out at two or three in the afternoon and you work out how you can channel the breeze to its fullest advantage.
For those with sea water in their veins who remember the island’s position as the prime yachting centre for the southern Caribbean in the ‘70s, Grenada’s back. The island’s location makes it an ideal launching base for cruises to the Mecca of sailing in this part of the world: the glittering island chain of the Grenadines. Spectacular high-end developments targeted at the super-yachts in Prickly Bay, Mount Hartman Bay and The Lagoon facing Fort George (Port Louis) in the capital St George’s are all on track to restore Grenada to its former pole position.
Foreigners are allowed to own property in Grenada upon payment of an Aliens’ Landholding Tax (currently 10% of the selling price). Formalities are minimal but can take up to three months to process and lead to the securing of an Aliens’ Landholding Permit.
The island has a sizeable and growing population of foreign permanent or part-time residents. They mostly originate from the UK, the US and Canada though there is an increasing number of continental Europeans (Germans, Italians, Dutch, Scandinavians) who have chosen to live here.
The design of residences in the tropics need not be elaborate – a large verandah is where residents do most of their living and entertaining – and simplicity of construction and ease of maintenance are advisable building criteria.
Quality residences in good locations can be found from around US$ 600,000 and exceptional properties are selling for upwards of US$ 2m. The advent of the above mentioned developments and other pivotal projects such as the proposed Four Seasons complex on Mount Hartman Bay linked by a causeway to Hog Island are expected to place the residential market on a higher plane.
Prices of up to US$ 20 per sq ft are currently quoted for residential plots in key areas. Building costs of between US$ 125 and 150 psf should be budgeted for good quality residences. For shameless self-indulgent luxury you could easily spend upwards of US$ 200 per sq ft. In other words if you are budgeting for a good quality residence of say 3,000 sq ft built at say US$ 140 per sq ft on an average half acre plot bought for say US$ 20 psf, you’re facing a bill of US$435,600 for the land and US$ 420,000 for the construction ie around US$ 850,000. A 6,000 sq ft palatial pad built to maharajah standard in a stunning and exclusive location will set you back much more than that but, at that level, who’s counting? And, let’s face it, what’s a decimal point between maharajah?
This is an exciting time for the two of you and the advice and assistance of the friendly people of Grenada will ensure that the most meaningful day of your life is a memorable one. It is also very easy to get married here as there is no waiting period required or minimum length of stay.
In Grenada the law requires that visitors be resident on the island for a minimum of three (3) days (including weekends and public holidays) before applying for a licence.
On the third day, the necessary stamp duty and licence fees are paid, and an application for a Marriage Licence is made in person, at the Office of the Prime Minister.
Generally the licence is ready within two (2) working days.
This maybe slightly longer if either partner is divorced, as documents must then be sent to the Ministry of Legal Affairs.
| EC $10 | Marriage Licence Fee (payable at the Treasury, Ministry of Finance) |
| EC $15 | Stamp (provided along with the marriage licence application and licence fee, to the Prime Minister’s Office) |
| EC $2 | Registration Search Fee (Payable at the Registry General’s Office) |
| EC $5 | Stamp (provided to the Registry General’s Office, for placement on the Certified Marriage Certificate) |
| *Please note that these fees maybe subject to change. | |
Official Office Location
Most Government offices are open from 8 am to 4 pm from Monday to Friday and are closed on Public Holidays and Weekends. Listed below are the official office locations.
Payment of Marriage Licence Fee
Treasury Financial Complex
The Carenage, St. George’s
Tel: (473) 440 5571
Application for Marriage Licence
Prime Minister’s Office
6th Floor, Ministerial Complex,
Botanical Gardens, St. George’s
Tel: (473) 443 4688
Collection of the Certified Marriage Certificate
Registry General’s Office Ground Floor,
Ministerial Complex,
Botanical Gardens, St. George’s
Tel: (473) 440 2649
Purchase of Stamps
Grenada Postal Corporation
Burns Point, St. George’s
Tel: (473) 440-2526
Stamps needed to accompany official documents, may be purchased from any post office location, which are also open from 8 am to 4 pm, from Monday to Friday.
The flora includes towering mahogany and giant gommier trees as well as a multitude of ferns, tropical flowers, and other indigenous plants. The lush vegetation provides shelter for a wide variety of animals, particularly for the island’s many species of birds. The broad winged hawk (known here as the gree-gree), Lesser Antillean swift, Antillean euphonia, purple throated carib, Antillean crested hummingbird (known as the Doctor Bird) and the Lesser Antillean tanager (known as the soursop) are all common sights. In addition, Grand Etang is populated by plenty of frogs and lizards, as well as host to opossums, armadillos, mongoose, and the Mona monkey.
Hikes at Grand Etang range from easy 15 minute jaunts to rigorous expeditions of several hours. The trails are quite good, and the Forest Reserve provides excellent guides (both written and human).
This 450 acre Park holds a strong reputation as Grenada’s most scenic and spectacular coastal area. Its picture-perfect beach is quite popular on weekends, and its lagoon is one of the most important wildlife habitats on the island. Consisting of an extensive mangrove swamp, the lagoon is a haven for an abundance of bird species, including many herons, black-necked stilts, common snipes, and other waterfowl. Levera’s marine areas are equally esteemed, with outstanding coral reefs and sea grass beds that shelter lobster and beautiful reef fishes. The beaches are also a hatchery for sea turtles, which are protected from May to September. Among the pleasant walks at Levera is a trail that circles the 45 acre pond.
Take a nature trail from Tyrrel Bay, then a short boat ride and you will find yourself in the middle of one of the few pristine ecosystems in the region. You can observe oyster growing on the roots of the mangrove.