55 Honoured On Awards Night.
LAST Friday night was a special one for employees of the three Bay Gardens properties. They were toasted and treated as guests rather than the employees they are in a glitzy atmosphere of bright lights, camera flashes, red carpet and sparkling silver ware.
It was their annual awards night and the management went all out to show the employees how important they are not only in the economic success of the three properties but their roles in the tourism landscape of the country.
They were the stars of the three properties and were told so by the properties’ directors, management and NooraniAzeez, Chief Executive Officer of Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association who drove home that point even deeper to them.
Azeez, amid the clinking of champagne and cocktail glasses, and the low hum of merriment that permeated the Bougainvillea Conference Room of the Bay Gardens Hotel, underscored the importance of team work to the employees and the significance of giving visitors an experience rather than just allowing them to visit the properties and Saint Lucia.
“Those of you who are recipients of awards tonight must understand that you did not do it alone. You are the ingredient that makes Saint Lucia special,” Azeez said.
He lauded Joyce Destang and family, for their vision in creating the Bay Gardens properties which are now well known in the country and in tourism circles regionally.
He described their vision as “bold moves” and “elevated thinking”. He praised the family for leading by example for their dedication in making the Bay Gardens name something of an institution in the country.
“It is staggering the volume of your investment in Saint Lucia and in your people. By investing you have demonstrated more clearly than anyone else your faith and belief in our people, in our country and in the future of the children of those sitting in this room tonight,” Azeez said.
An amazing 55 awards were distributed including two lifetime achievement awards that went to Cheryl Gustave of Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Emily Dujon of Bay Gardens Hotel and Inn.
The winners were as follows: From Bay Gardens Hotel and Inn – Best Newcomer, Nicole Phillip (Accounts) and Jennifer Charles (Restaurant); Best Smile, Yanika Yard (Front Office); Front of the House, Natasha Alexander (Security); Heart of the House, Elvis d’Auvergne (Maintenance); Most Courteous Team Member, Jeanelle Smith (Front Office); Most Improved Team Member, Kendal Paul (Maintenance); Most Nominated Team Player, Alma Dieudonne (Restaurant); Most Promising Team Member, Albert Isembert (Events); Rising Star, Annabelle Lord (Events); Supervisor of the Year, Wendy Jules (Bars) and Helena Alfred (Restaurant) and Manager of the Year, KerenHeliodore (Front Office).
Outstanding Team Members of the two properties were Cleta Charles (Restaurant); Annabelle Lord (Events), Gail Harris (Front Office); Fara Alexander (Housekeeping); Elvis D’Auvergne (Maintenance); StepffiiAurelien (Restaurant); Debra Volney (Kitchen); ElliusLeonce (Landscaping); Theresa Eugene (Security) and Sylvester Leonce (Accounts).
The General Manager Award for Excellence went to Elvis D’Auvergne while the Food and Beverage Department copped the Most Improved Department Award. The Most Dedicated Department Award went to the Events Department while the Housekeeping Department collected the Department of the Year Award. The award for Best New manager was collected by Richard Mark (Duty Manager) and the Unsung Hero award went to Antoine Casimir.
The winners from Bay Gardens Beach Resort were: Dale Harvey (Restaurant) and Natasha De Coteau (Accounts) for Best Newcomer; Alexandra Felicien (Kitchen) for Best Smile; Sherianna Lewis (Front Office) for Front of House. She also won the Rising Star Award; Anthony Mitchel (Kitchen) for the Heart of the House Award; Dylan Charles (Front Office) for Most Courteous; Mishka Edward (Housekeeping) for Most Improved: Lex Joseph (Bars) for Most Nominated; Taja Alexander (Housekeeping) for Most Promising; Cindy Cox (Housekeeping) for Supervisor of the Year while Fina Charles won the Manager of the Year Award.
The Outstanding Employees Award for the resort were won by Erika Ellis (Restaurant); Carla Sidney (Events), Dylan Charles (Front Office); Taja Alexander (Housekeeping); Neil Fletcher (Maintenance); RufillaAgard (Bars); Alexandra Felicien (Kitchen); Johnason Moses (Stewarding);Nicholas Octave (Security); Lisa Monrose (Accounts); ReisinCetout (Landscaping) and Gregor Cherubin (Splash Island Water Security).
The General Manager’s award for Excellence went to Peter Lawrence (Sous Chef). The Food and Beverage Department took the Most Improved Department Award while Housekeeping won the Most Dedicated Department Award. The Department of the Year award went to the Front Office Department. The Unsung Hero Award went to Jonas Gregg.
