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What's New in Bermuda Online for Saturday, July 4, 2009

News and events in these Islands on US Independence Day, with over 80% of all visitors being proudly American

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This Web file by Keith Archibald Forbes (see About Us) exclusively for Bermuda Online

To refer by e-mail to this file use "bermuda-online.org/whatsnew.htm" as your Subject.

Bermuda outlineOne of the nine smallest places in the world, in total land area. 21 square miles or 53 square kilometers, compared to the USA's 9.629 million square kilometers. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_outlying_territories_by_total_area .

Today's Bermuda Weather from 0430 hrs Eastern Standard Time (EST) or 0930 hrs Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Bermuda is one hour ahead of EST and four hours behind GMT.

Fireworks provided by the USA in Bermuda

Bermuda's ONLY daily newspaper

The Royal Gazette DAILY newspaperExcept on a Public Holiday when it is not published, A world-class daily (except Sunday) newspaper, with a daily size and scope far in excess of newspapers abroad  covering much larger communities. Bermuda's best value for money by far, for Bda$ 1.00, less than many UK newspapers with far less content. Member of the Newspaper Association of America and Inland Press Association, etc. Established in 1828, it incorporates The Colonist and Daily News (established in 1866). The Royal Gazette Limited is a subsidiary company of the Bermuda Press (Holdings) Ltd, incorporated in Bermuda. Its physical address is 2 Par La Ville Road, Hamilton HM 08, Bermuda. Its mailing address is P. O. Box HM 1025, Hamilton HM DX, Bermuda. Telephone (441) 295-5881. Editorial fax is (441) 292-2498. Letters to the Editor are letters@royalgazette.bm. The daily abbreviated Internet edition is usually published by 10 am EST. The full electronic edition is complete with all advertisements for those with an international interest in professional employment or contemplating an international business based in Bermuda. The full print edition publishes 6 days a week, Monday though Saturday.  It produces more than 90 percent of the daily community and business news of Bermuda and from overseas, is the only daily newspaper in Bermuda, is read by more than 90 percent of the entire population of Bermuda and 100 percent of all of the international business leaders in Bermuda. By all international standards, it is a fair, honest, factual, reasoned, accurate and not sensational newspaper, with a superb international reputation. It has an electronic newsroom, satellite facilities, wire and syndicated services.

Accommodation

Bermuda MoongateThe information is extensive and without commissions of any kind to hotels, individuals, companies, corporations or organizations. 

See files under:

Recommended properties are shown in bold.

Airlines serving Bermuda

Enhanced security and hand baggage restrictions affect all flights between Bermuda, UK, Europe, USA and Canada. 

Airport

All visitors, including Americans, Canadians and UK citizens, must have passports

Bermuda Online

Bermuda is not part of the USA but a foreign country with its own laws different from those in the UK and requires valid passports from:

Arrival and departure taxes

Questionnaire form on arrival

All visitors and residents arriving or returning by air or cruise ship or yacht are now being given a very detailed questionnaire form - see Airport - by airlines, cruise ships and yacht clubs and are required by the Bermuda Government to complete them on both sides before they arrive at Bermuda Customs and Immigration. These provide a way to track visitors and what they import. In contrast, the UK abolished virtually all records of visitor arrivals and departures. ( Which makes it difficult for the UK to track terrorists and people who overstay their welcome).

Hospitals, health care services, health insurance

All visitors - including those from the UK - should note they are not covered locally, so should insure themselves adequately to cover their visit or employment locally. Costs of medical services are appreciably more expensive than in USA.

Frangipani

Customs Exemptions for incoming residents and visitors

For Bermuda Customs (Import Duty) purposes, residents - not visitors - can claim only $100 per person duty free allowance (it was a $200 per person allowance until April 1, 1996 and $400 per person a few years ago) each time they travel for over 3 days, or can lump all such allowances together if returning to Bermuda as a family. 

Residents and visitors should retain in their possession and produce if necessary the receipts for clothes, personal effects and goods they purchase abroad, in case their value declared by the resident is challenged by a Bermuda Customs officer. Duty is payable at 30% of the value of purchase cost abroad of imported goods less the $100 per person duty free travel allowance. Some goods are duty free, such as books and computer business software (not games). 

Compare the BD/US$100 per person duty free allowance for residents allowed by the Bermuda Government to the present £290 or BD$580 per person duty free allowance (effective 1 January 2008) applicable in the United Kingdom for purchases outside the European Union (EU); the unlimited rate for travelers within the EU; $300 for Canadians returning to Canada from abroad; and $800 in the USA for US residents visiting Bermuda. Also - unlike US citizens or registered aliens returning home to the USA after a vacation or business trip who qualify routinely for a further US Customs exemption of up to $100 per day of bone fide goods shipped from abroad, for their own personal use - Bermudians or residents do not get the same consideration from the Bermuda Government.

Visitors are not entitled to the US$100 duty-free allowance of returning residents. Instead, they may bring in gifts up to the total value of $25 (compared to $100 or so in most other countries) after which they pay duty at prevailing rates.

Consulates

Gasoline costs

An American gallon - same as in Bermuda - is 3.785 liters, and local prices - fixed and heavily taxed by the Bermuda Government - are about the same per liter as Americans pay for a full gallon.

Senior Citizens 

Have a Bermuda-full day

Bermuda Longtail

Keith A. Forbes

Editor & Webmaster

125+ files on other aspects of Bermuda

Last Updated: July 4, 2009
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