Public education is free from first to twelfth grade. There are more than 46 private schools and specialized educational centers on the Island with approximately 13.000 students. The first authority in the archipelago is the Governor who is elected by popular vote. Providence has a Mayor, also elected by the inhabitants. The Island dishes are made basically from red snapper and other fishes, conch, lobster and crab.
Flavor is added by coconut, plantain, breadfruit and spices.
It is available in restaurants specializing in Island food, or at the tables which Island ladies have at the roadside on Sundays and holidays. Restaurants specializing in international cuisine offer meat, poultry and pastas, as well as seafood. . In the islands coexist the Catholic, Baptist and Adventist Religions, and the Christian Mission.