The Week At SLHTA, June 1st, 2012

Port Castries will experience increased year-round cruise calls for the up-coming season 2012/13 thanks to the inclusion of 17 additional calls and 36,000 passengers from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines’ Jewel of the Seas. These newly added calls will increase projected off-season calls for 2012/13 by over 50% with an estimated economic impact of XCD $6 million dollars.In 2011 Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines announced changes to its Southern Caribbean itineraries resulting in a redeployment of its traditional year-round calls to Saint Lucia. The decision to return year round visits to Saint Lucia was made after a series of discussions between the Ministry of Tourism, Heritage and Creative Industries, Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

The Jewel of the Seas is classified as a Radiance Class Vessel. With the total guest capacity of 2,502, and 859 crew she will be one of two cruise vessels calling during the off season. Jewel of the Seas will sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico, offering year-round options with three Southern Caribbean itineraries in the summer and autumn 2013 seasons, and two itineraries in the Winter and Spring 2013-14 seasons. Departing every Saturday, the seven-night, round-trip itineraries include calls at a range of ports throughout the Windward and Leeward Islands, including St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Antigua, and the U.S.V.I., as well as St. Maarten, Barbados, Aruba and Curacao.

Committed to innovation and quality, St. Lucia Distillers Group of Companies is a boutique rum distillery situated in the scenically beautiful and agriculturally rich valley of Roseau on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. A passionate team of distillers, blenders, and administrative staff work together to produce some of the world’s finest rums. St. Lucia Distillers’ Brands have been recognized at the world’s most exacting competitions, winning numerous accolades and awards. In the 2009 St. Lucia Distillers was nominated as only one of three distilleries globally for the trophy “Excellence in Craftsmanship”.

The Company prides itself on its commitment to product development and has an offering of over 25 rums and rum products ranging from premium aged rums and cream liqueurs to traditional pouring rums.  Internationally Award winning products range from Admiral Rodneyone of the world’s finest rums, 1931, A Celebration of 80 Years of Rum Making which is the latest addition to St. Lucia Distillers rum portfolio,TØZ Rumwhich comes in both Gold and White, Chairman’s Reserve,  Chairman’s Reserve Spiced,  Chairman’s Reserve – The Forgotten Casks and recently Chairman’s Reserve White Label.

St. Lucia Distillers Ltd is proud to announce that it received the trophy for Distillery of the Year 2011. Recent to its hall of accolades is the prestigious Crystal Award from the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association for continued support to the association, the community and to Saint Lucia as the world’s leading distillery.

The Fond Doux Holiday Plantation resort in the old colonial town of Soufrière, St. Lucia has been awarded a top honour from one of the world’s largest travel sites. 

TripAdvisor, congratulated the Fond Doux Holiday Plantation on earning the prestigious 2012 Certificate of Excellence Award. They also noted that their travelers consistently commended the Resort with the highest praise, and TripAdvisor recognizes Fond Doux’s 4.5 rating as an exceptional achievement. TripAdvisor has also instructed the owners of Fond Doux to “display their award proudly and in a place where your guests can see it, as only the very best in the business are awarded a Certificate of Excellence.”

 

A delighted Mr. Lyton Lamontagne and his wife Mrs. Eroline Lamontagne, the general manager of the award-winning resort, was especially pleased with the TripAdvisor honor because “it is one of the most highly respected sites and those who write the reviews are savvy travelers of means who prefer to stay in more alluring properties with their own colorful stories.”

The sights, sounds, splendor, color and spectacle that is associated with Saint Lucia Carnival, will be on display come June 3^rd as the island’s premiere cultural showpiece officially opens. The duty free berthing facility, Pointe Seraphine, nestled in the heart of the Capital Castries, will provide the backdrop for the much anticipated opening of the 2012 carnival season, which is expected to draw hundreds of spectators and scores of revelers. 

Tourism, Heritage and Creative Industry Minister Lorne Theophilus says, “Much effort is being expended to ensure the delivery of an exciting and high quality 2012 carnival product. The Select Committee of Stakeholders has been retained to oversee activities and the island’s lead marketing and promotions agency – the Saint Lucia Tourist Board – continues to vigorously promote the event overseas.”

 

A host of soca heavyweights like Power Soca and Road-March Monarch Ricky T, combined with calypso giants: reigning Monarch Minelle and four-time Monarch D-Indaver, will perform a medley of old and new selections for the 2012 season. Sunday’s opening is priced at $20 adults and $10 for children 5 – 12 years. Children under 5 years old are free. Show time is 3pm.

 

20 year old, Paulyn Krista Eugene was born in the community of Bexon on the outskirts of central Castries.  After leaving school she began training at the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort in the pastry department. Through her hard work and determination she was hired as an assistant pastry chef in November 2008.

She has participated in many local cooking and sporting competitions and she has emerged winner of “The Coconut Growers Theory and Practical Cooking Competition” and “Courts Saint Lucia Sweet Delight Competition”. She has also represented Saint Lucia in 2011 at the Taste of the Caribbean Competition. In continuing her career in sports, she is a member of the Saint Lucia Female Rugby team and Sport Club. She has participated in North America Caribbean Rugby Association tournaments in Mexico 2009, Guyana 2010, Trinidad 2010 and Barbados and has also have been chosen as Junior Rugby Player of the Year 2010 and 2011.

Her intended goals for the future are to attend the Art Institute of America to study The Art of Baking and Pastry. She would also like to be an ambassador for the Saint Lucia Rugby Federation.
Trevor Felicien

 

Born on October 24th 1967, Trevor Francis Felicien did most of his schooling in the Castries area. He was first employed with Saint Lucia Broadcasting Corporation (Radio St. Lucia). He followed his passion of becoming a Chef by seeking employment with Sandals Halcyon as a Chef de Partie.  He worked there for three years then moved on and worked with Carnival Cruise line as a Saucier.  During his tenure with Carnival Cruise, he completed two courses with Johnson and Wales University in leadership and management skills respectively.

After being homesick, he returned to Saint Lucia and was then employed with Hyatt for a period of two years as a supervisor, then worked with Windjammer Landing for eight months also as a supervisor.  He then returned to Sandals and was employed as a supervisor in charge of breakfast and lunch. When employed with Sandals, he became a certified hospitality supervisor with the American Hotel Tourism Association. He has remained loyal to the Sandals Resorts chain and has been promoted to Sous Chef and then to Senior Sous Chef within five years at the Sandals Grand. He is responsible for over 105 team members managing the operations for breakfast, lunch and special functions at the Resort.

Elijah Jules

Born in Soufriere, St. Lucia in 1981, Elijah Jules grew up with the taste and passion for cooking. At the age of 16 he sought to pursue his dream by taking a dishwashing job at a hotel called the Humming Bird. After 2 years of hard work they promoted him to Head Chef. For the next 10 years he honed his culinary skills to create masterful works of art on a plate and on the palate.

At the age of 28 Elijah took the Executive Sous Chef position at Jade Mountain Resort located right down the road from his home town of Soufriere. During his tenure, Jade Mountain has won numerous awards such as Travel and Leisure’s #1 Resort in the Caribbean and the 3^rd in the world, best service award and the prestigious 5 diamond award from AAA every year since 2009.  Elijah has also been a guest chef on the television show “Flavours of the Caribbean”. His cooking has grown from simple to elegant Creole dishes to now include modern “Ameri-bean” cuisine with classical French discipline and global influences.