The Week at the SLHTA, September 26th, 2014

Friday, September 26th, 2014   In This Week’s Edition Outstanding Employee Recognition Featuring Mr. Sheldon Clairmont Second Annual Clean-Up Campaign by the SLHTA Saint Lucia for Foodies: The Best Places to Eat LHTA Football Semi-FInals Hotels around the Island welcomed Secondary Schools Students on their Property SLHTA & Saint Lucia Mourns the loss of the renowned “Chef Harry” Training for Maintenance Managers on Site Inspection & Pest Management Saint Lucia secures second place at the 2014 Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Youth Congress Changes in Traffic Management at Hewanorra Social Media Marketing Training in Collaboration with CARILED IGY Rodney Bay Marina Sponsors Gros Islet Football Association LUCELEC Fulfills Commitment to National School Sports Programme Outstanding Employee Recognition: Featuring  Mr. Sheldon Clairmont   Sheldon Clairmont commenced his employment with the Windjammer Landing in July of 2001 as a Cook but over the years, due to his creativity and other attributes, has been given the responsibilities of running the buffet functions. He has since been named the “buffet specialist!”  From the commencement of his employment, Sheldon has always shown great enthusiasm in buffet presentation and has incorporated his creativity in this capacity. He enjoys showcasing what he prepares and because of this the company believed it was appropriate to let him run that section. Sheldon Clairmont is extremely innovative in creating and experimenting with new dishes to enhance his presentation. He is always seeking new ways of improving the appearance of his presentation to make it more appealing. There is a lighter side to Sheldon Clairmont though. When his colleagues from the kitchen wear a sad countenance he walks up to them, says something funny and causes a burst of laughter. Right away, the atmosphere changes and everybody is in tears. What makes Sheldon unique is the way he never holds grudges. He will be upset one minute but by the next, he erupts into laughter. One of Sheldon’s favourite lines upon arriving at work is, “I bring food for my children” and when asked who his children were, his response would always be, “everybody!” According to Chef Justin, that there are times when his mood is a little down and Sheldon would say to him, “I know the devil is in you today, do you want breakfast?” Immediately a smile would form on the Chef’s face and the mood would change. Overall Sheldon is a very jovial person who goes out of his way to make those around him feel happy! Second Annual Clean-Up Campaign The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) is all set for the second  annual Clean Up Campaign to be held in Rodney Bay. The activity is scheduled to commence at 6: 00 a.m. on Saturday September 27th 2014 in commemoration of World Tourism Day.  To date, one hundred and forty (140) volunteers have committed to being a part of this initiative.  The following are the Establishments which have committed: Coco Palm Resort Bay Gardens Resorts Dr. Kent Glace & Associates The International School Jus Sail The Lions Club of Gros Islet The Bank of Nova Scotia Solid Waste Management Authority The Gros Islet Town Council Rodney Bay Residents Association Ministry of Tourism IGY Marina The following are our Sponsors for this Event: RJB Coco Palm H20 Cotton Bay Village Paradise Springs Bay Gardens Resorts Williams Screen Printing Royal by Rex Resort Solid Waste Management Trans Carib SLHTA Tourism Enhancement Fund Palm Haven JQ Realty Incorporated Lazy Lagoon The Blu Hotel Environmental Health, Ministry of Health Also on the day of the Event, September 27th, 2014 we have arranged for flowers to be planted in all three islands at the entrance of Rodney Bay Village as well as for the trees to be trimmed along the strip.  Arrangements have also been made for the islands to be repaired and re-painted.   The SLHTA would like to thank all participants and sponsors for expressing an eagerness and a great interest to be a part of this initiative. Let’s work together to ensure that Rodney Bay is kept “Simply Beautiful”!!!!  Saint Lucia for Foodies   With a heady mix of English, French, African and even some Indian influence, it’s no wonder that the food of St Lucia has been getting diners’ taste buds buzzing for generations. However, it’s only in recent years that the island’s cuisine has received the recognition it really deserves, with foodies flocking to St Lucia from all over the world. If you’re heading to this tropical paradise any time soon and are looking for a few tasty treats, here are some of the best and most exciting eateries the island has to offer. The Great House, Sugar Beach Home to many of the most desirable luxury properties in St. Lucia, Sugar Beach has a reputation for good food and spectacular scenery. Boucan, Hotel Choclat Set in a working cocoa plantation, Boucan, part of Hotel Choclat, enjoys a unique setting and gives diners the chance to experience a taste of traditional island life. The Cliff At Cap, Cap Masion Located on the north west coast of St. Lucia, overlooking the Caribbean Sea, The Cliff At Cap is fast becoming one of the island’s most sought-after eateries…Click Here SLHTA Agricultural Symposium   The Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Production Fisheries, Cooperatives and Rural Development will be hosting an inaugural Agricultural Symposium Friday 3rd October 2014at the Royal by Rex Resorts from9:30am – 4:00pm. This Symposium will focus primarily on the consumption habits of the accommodation sector as it relates to local fruits and vegetables. The event, which is supported by the SLHTA’s Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) will primarily seek to forge closer linkages between the hotels and local farmers. The symposium will also endeavor to understand the challenges which the local farmers face on a daily basis as it relates to meeting the consumption needs of the industry. SLHTA Football  Semi-FInals   Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association Football Continues at the Corinth Playing Field on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th September 2014 from 4:00 pm. St James Club Morgan Bay v Sandals Grande St Lucian (Fri 26th) Windjammer Landing v Sandals Halcyon Beach (Sat 27th) Hotels around the Island welcomed Secondary Schools Students on their Property   Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) is celebrating World Tourism Day 2014 with many activities including a reef clean, beautification of Rodney Bay among others. One of the other activities is the visit of Secondary School Students to neighboring Hotels around the Island. Anse Chastanet Hotel participated in the activity and welcomed over 20 students to their hotel this week. The students were able to tour the property in an effort to understand the functions and roles of each department and how they each work to fulfill one role, which is to meet and exceed the needs of their customers, guests and clients. The students were greeted by the General Manager and various department heads who addressed them on their roles and responsibilities. World Tourism Day (WTD), celebrated every year on 27 September, is a global observance to highlight tourism’s social, cultural, political and economic value.   WTD 2014 is being held under the theme Tourism and Community Development – focusing on the ability of tourism to empower people and provide them with skills to achieve change in their local communities.   The following Hotels participated in the activity this year: Cap Maison Hotel Sandals Grande St Lucian Spa and Beach Resort Anse Chastanet/Jade Mountain Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort & Spa Sandals Halcyon Beach Saint Lucia Hotel & Tourism Association Mourns the loss of the renowned Chef Edward “Harry” Joseph An Honorary Member of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA), being officially inducted in July of 2011 under the presidency of Mrs. Karolin Troubetzkoy. Chef Harry has contributed tremendously to the Saint Lucia Hotel & Tourism Association (SLHTA) and by extension the tourism sector in Saint Lucia. He was renowned for his exceptional culinary skills and was the owner of one of Saint Lucia’s Tourist Mecca for fine and scrumptious cuisine, the Green Parrot Hotel located at Morne Fortune Castries. Chef Harry, for which he was mostly known, was born on April 19th 1936 at Victoria Hospital and lived on Jeremie Street, next to the Castries Market before the Castries Fire of June 19th 1948. As a young man, Chef decided to travel to Barbados in search of work, there he met his friend who worked at Rodney Beach Hotel and decided to apply for a job. He was then offered a job in Barbados at the Rodney Beach Hotel as a “Pantry Boy” according to Chef Harry, doing coffee and afternoon tea.  He then left and traveled to London in search of a better opportunity and got a job where he learned Gourmet and A La Carte menus. In Saint Lucia, Chef Harry has personally trained many chefs in the industry and has also given many scholarships to underprivileged children, and in his own words saying that “They just need a little care”. Chef Harry also created many signature dishes in his creole restaurant such as the Soup Jook Fooya (meaning two together making love), Soup Ah La La and Steak Cokeoko (When the chickens make love). Positions held Awards and/or Certificates received: Recipient of the “Hall of Fame” Award from the Ministry of Tourism – St. Lucia for his sterling contribution to the local Tourism Industry Honorary Member of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association Lifetime Achievement Award the for Entrepreneurial and Private Excellence (SLISBA) Member of the British Empire Member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from the Rotary Club of St. Lucia Holder of the St. Lucia Silver Medal of Merit Awarded the Cultural Doctorate in the category of Tourism Development from the World University Roundtable Achieved the Cordon Bleu Standard in exotic European Cuisine Graduate of Westminster College in London England Master (Head) Chef at Claridges Hotel Ladera Resort First to Offer Honeymooners the Opportunity to Bring Home Customized Saint Lucian Furniture And Complimentary Signature Swing    Newlyweds who visit the award-winning Ladera Resort, a romantic paradise situated 1,100 feet above the Caribbean Sea overlooking the Pitons, will now have the opportunity to bring a piece of their honeymoon home with a customized bed. Ladera innovates again by offering honeymooners the ability to pre-order handcrafted beds, carved with their names or initials, which will be in their suite upon arrival, and shipped to their home on the day they depart. For couples booking their upcoming honeymoon in one of the new ultra romantic Paradise Ridge suites by October 15, 2014, Ladera is gifting its signature handcrafted swing. Ladera is the only resort in the Caribbean with a staff dedicated to offering newlyweds the opportunity to customize their honeymoon experience with a piece of furniture that they will keep and cherish forever. Couples will work with Ladera’s “Honeymoon Furniture Concierge” prior to their arrival to ensure their bed is created to their exact specifications. The resort’s team of onsitecraftsmen will create the dream bed using local hardwoods such as Blue Mahoe, Mahogany, Red Cedar, Greenheart, Purpleheart, Mabre, White Cedar, and Pitch Pine. “The Ladera experience is about creating lifetime memories. Already established as one of the most romantic destinations in the world, we wanted to take the experience to the next level and personalize honeymoons in an unforgettable way,” says Olivier Bottois, Ladera’s Vice President of Business Development who introduced this program. Honeymooners can also pre-order customized tables, desks, vanities, chairs and more to be shipped to their home upon departure. The customized honeymoon bed frame is $5,000 USD plus the cost of shipping. As a special gift timed with St. Lucia’s “Love Elevated Wedding Symposium,” any couples booking their upcoming honeymoon at Ladera in one of the luxury Paradise Ridge suites by October 15, 2014 will receive a personalized swing similar to the signature piece of décor at the romantic hideaway. Fall rates at Ladera are from US$450 per night, double occupancy. For more information or reservations please visit www.ladera.com or call 866-290-0978 or 758-459-6618. Saint Lucia secures second place at the 2014 Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Youth Congress   “Imagine for a moment madam chair a farm based tour where luscious coco pods are harvested to produce delicious, mouthwatering decadent chocolate; a complete Tree to Bar Experience. The experience continues when honeymooners immerse themselves in a sea of chocolate at the luxurious Cocoa Juvenate Spa.  Such is the experience which awaits visitors at Hotel Chocolat in the bosom of our world heritage site; the majestic Pitons. Is it any wonder that St. Lucia holds the title of Leading Honeymoon Destination“? says Junior Tourism Minister, Mr. Rohan Alfred in his speech. The youth delegates spoke on the topics of “Experiential Tourism” and “Accessible Tourism”, sharing their respective islands initiatives and product development concepts for each, in addition to the ways in which the regional can capitalize on and develop niche markets around the individual themes. For the second consecutive year, Nevis and Saint Lucia have secured first place and second place respectively. The Junior Ministers both presented CTO delegates and judges with exciting thought provoking ideas on Experiential Tourism. Junior Minister for Saint Lucia, fifteen year old Rohan Alfred of the Saint Mary’s College identified the Tree-to-Bar initiative at Hotel Chocolat as one of the many experiences which await visitors to Saint Lucia.  Below is an excerpt from his presentation. Changes in Traffic Management at Hewanorra The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) wishes to inform its valued customers that as of September 1, 2014, parking and standing of vehicles are restricted at the front of the Hewanorra International Airport terminal building. This is in accordance with International Airport Security Standards, and will also alleviate congestion at the airport, facilitate the efficient flow of traffic and for the safety of airport users. Please follow the directional signs and instructions from the Port Police. Persons coming to drop off and pick-up passengers will be able to do so in designated areas. SLASPA remains committed to providing the highest level of services and thanks you in advance for your support. Should you require any further information, please contact (758) 457 6160. Social Media Marketing Training in Collaboration with CARILED The Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (CARILED) in collaboration with SLHTA organized a two (2) day Social Media Marketing Training Workshop targeted at Small Hotels, Bars and Restaurants.  The Training Workshop took place at the Gros Islet Secondary School on Saturday September 20th and Sunday September 21, 2014 from 10 a.m. – 4: 00 p.m.  Mr. Rankin Morgan, Managing Director of 123 Digital Limited facilitated the training workshop.  Ms. Yola St. Jour, Finance & Administration Officer of the SLHTA and Ms. Khrystal Lucien Local Economic Development (LED) Officer of CARILED coordinated the training. The Workshop was very well received and gave the participants an opportunity to create their very own Face Book and Twitter pages, and informed individuals on the positive marketing influence social media can have on ones business. The SLHTA looks forward to future collaborations with CARILED. IGY Rodney Bay Marina Sponsors Gros Islet Football Association   2014 Continuing their support of young people in the Gros Islet community, IGY Rodney Bay Marina recently responded to the needs of the Gros Islet Football League by providing training t-shirts for the entire squad who participated in this year’s  annual Blackheart competition. In a recent handover ceremony, Marina General Manager Simon Bryan presented the t-shirts to League President, Shayne Paul.   The Gros Islet Football League currently has four age groups participating in national competitions: under 14, under 17, under 21 and the senior team. The League sees the development of sports, particularly football, as key to the future success of youth in the area, providing educational opportunities and contributing to a better quality of life for themselves and their families.   For the past two years, IGY Rodney Bay Marina has spearheaded community outreach and youth development activities as a top priority. The company sponsors children from the Gros Islet community in the St Lucia Youth Sailing Program and has supported local day charter company Jus’ Sail with their Youth Training Program for the last three summers, an initiative that has introduced young St Lucians to sailing and the marine industry as a possible arena for a career…Full Story Here LUCELEC Fulfills Commitment to National School Sports Programme   Saint Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) has presented the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports with a $50,000 donation towards the Inter-Schools Sports Programme.   The sponsorship is the final part of a three year commitment with the Ministry valued at $150,000.   The donation was made during the launch of the 2014/2015 Inter-Schools Sports Programmes under the theme, “My Education, My Sports, My Life: My Goal”. Speaking at the ceremony, LUCELEC Corporate Communications Manager Roger Joseph likened the theme to the reason LUCELEC chose to invest in youth and sports through the Ministry.   “Our vision is to be the energy that powers our nation’s success. As a company we make long term investments.  When we partnered with the Ministry of Youth Development & Sports three years ago, it was with an eye on getting our junior athletes ready for success when St. Lucia hosts the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2017, by helping to energise the school sports programme. We’re pleased with the success of the school sports programme so far,” says Mr Joseph…Full Story Here