Caribbean Women Powering Sandals at The Core and in The Fore Seven Saint Lucians are SRI Financial Controllers

AFTER pouring decades of Love and Dedication into the tourism and hospitality industry they live to serve, seven Saint Lucian women are at the core and in the fore among top controllers of finance at Sandals Resorts International (SRI), by-far the Caribbean’s most-successful luxury resort chain.

The seven women – of mainly humble beginnings – faced challenges and grabbed opportunities for decades, with full support from their employers.

Now at the top of their game, their contributions were collectively-acknowledged by SRI’s top executives, including Executive Chairman Adam Stewart, at a SRI Finance Division Conference in Jamaica on October 23-24.

The conference was also attended by SRI Regional Finance Director Barrie Cocoran –  and Ryan Matthew, SRI’s Corporate Director for Human Resources, also a Saint Lucian.

Coming with the industry  recovering from COVID-19 and SRI’s eyes clearly-set on the near-and-distant future, the conference was held under the theme: ‘Facing the Future – Sandals 2.0: A Balancing Act!’

Saint Lucia has the second-highest number of SRI properties outside Jamaica and its association with the chain’s success of the legendary Caribbean tourism innovator Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, spans all of three decades.

Saint Lucians have shared in SRI’s success at the island’s three luxury-included properties (Sandals La Toc, Sandals Halcyon and Sandals Grande – plus the Sandals Cap Estate Golf Club).

Caribbean women’s near-silent but very-effective presence among the crème de la crème of SRI’s finance handlers has gone almost-unnoticed outside the chain.

However, at and after the SRI Finance Controllers Conference, Executive Chairman Adam Stewart noted the event had “celebrated the Caribbean talent powering Sandals Resorts.”

Stewart said: “I’ve always seen finance as more than numbers; it’s the silent heartbeat of our success.”

Sharing “three takeaways” from the conference, he said: “First is the Seamless Harmony between Operations and Finance; second is the Caribbean’s Diverse Brilliance; and thirdly, the Progressive Vision of Our Leadership….”

And paying glasses-full of worthy kudos to “our finance team”, the Sandals chain’s chief executive said: “Thank you for shaping the future of Sandals, ensuring unparalleled luxury for our guests!”

Following are some highlights of the careers of the Saint Lucian women among the Caribbean team at the helm of Sandals’ finance network, in their various and varying roles at home and abroad, region-wide:

Ella Charles-Martin , Financial Controller, Beaches Turks and Caicos was “born in La Borne” (Monchy). She attended Corinth Secondary School and later pursued an Associate’s Degree in Applied Arts and Business Studies at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) and obtained a Professional Accounting Designation with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) through the School of Business and Computer Sciences in Mount Hope, Trinidad & Tobago. Ella then became a FCCA Fellow – and next up-the-ladder was a Master of Science Degree in Professional Accountancy from the University of London. Her career in hospitality finance spans 22 years — many spent at SRI, starting at Sandals Grande Saint Lucian as a Trainee Accountant Designate. Over the past five years, she’s served as Financial Controller for Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort & Spa — the largest in the Sandals chain.

Mellisa John , Financial Controller, Sandals Exuma Beach Resort is from Rose Hill in Castries and attended the Anglican Infant and Primary Schools, St. Joseph’s Convent and Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, graduating with A-Levels in Economics, Management Studies and Mathematics. She joined the Hospitality Industry in 1999 at Sandals Regency and in February 2002 was the Accounts Receivable Clerk. After six months, she applied for a course at the UWI and graduated from its St. Augustine Campus in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Management Studies and Finance (with Honors). Returning home, Melissa rejoined Sandals Regency’s Accounting Team as an Income Auditor. In 2007, she left La Toc and joined Halcyon as a Trainee Accountant. After training programs covering Hotel Operations and Functions of Purchasing, Cost Control, Payroll and Payables, she was promoted to Accountant at Sandals Halcyon — and in 2011 to Finance Manager. The Accounting Department was rebranded the Finance Division, with the core accounting roles being consolidated at Sandals Grande, where she moved to but retained responsibility as the Finance Manager for Halcyon. In May 2018, Melissa was promoted Financial Controller at Sandals South Coast Jamaica – and soon left (in September 2018) for the island of Exuma as Financial Controller at Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Tennis and Spa Resort in The Bahamas — where she still is. And in March 2022, she attained a Master of Science Degree (with Merit) in Finance and Strategy from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Bernice Alfred , Financial Controller, Sandals Royal Curacao was “born and raised in Boguis” (Babonneau) and achieved a College Diploma in Business Studies from the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC). With over-18 years in the hospitality industry, she joined SRI in 2005 as Accounts Payable Clerk and was later promoted to Payroll Administrator in Sandals Halcyon. She was promoted to Accountant in 2009 and Assistant Financial Controller in 2011 at Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau, The Bahamas. In 2015, Bernice was appointed Finance Manager at Sandals La Source in Grenada. She returned home as Finance Manager at Sandals Halcyon in 2018 and later became Financial Controller at Sandals Regency La Toc in 2019 – before taking up her present position as Financial Controller at Sandals Royal Curacao. Bernice is also currently studying at Edinburgh Napier University, London, UK, pursuing a Master of Science in Business Management – Tourism and Hospitality Management.

Aqualia Alexander, Financial Controller at Sandals Grande Antigua, attended the Vieux-Fort Comprehensive and always had an eye for and on finance and accounts. Her first exposure was with the Short-Term Employment Program (STEP) as an Accounts Clerk with Windward and Leeward Brewery (WLBL), after which she’s been with Sandals for the last 17 years. Aqualia started-off her career with Sandals in November 2019, less than four months before the industry came to a standstill with COVID-19. “However,” she says today, “it forced us to re-learn, innovate and revisit how we viewed the hospitality industry and its financial connectivity in our wider community.” Of her long association with SRI, she says: “It’s been remarkably-rewarding and challenging.”

Earlyn Meroe , Financial Controller, Sandals Halcyon Beach grew-up at Summersdale in Castries and attended Carmen Rene Memorial and Castries Comprehensive Secondary schools. She’s been a member of SRI’s Finance Team for 12 years, starting in October 2011 as an Accounts Assistant at Sandals Regency. She was Senior Accountant at Sandals Grande Saint Lucian for the last three years — and is now the new Finance Manager of Sandals Halcyon. Earlyn holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. And of her work with SRI, she’s “proud to be part of a company that supports the elevation of Saint Lucian women both at home and abroad; and I’m also excited about my future with SRI…”

Selma Ballantyne Charles , Financial Controller, Sandals Regency La Toc hails from Monchy and attended the Canon Laurie Anglican Primary and the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary schools, graduating in 2001. Her professional experience in tourism began at the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort as a Casual Accounts Clerk, then she moved through different positions. including Cost Control Clerk, Payroll Clerk, General Cashier and Payables Clerk. In 2018, Selma started her SRI journey at Sandals Grande as the Senior Accountant, then moved Sandals Halcyon as Finance Manager and later promoted as Financial Controller. Selma says: “There is only one Boss: the Customer. And each can fire all-of-us by simply taking their business elsewhere…”  a message engraved on a whiteboard in her office. And as a working student, she’s also currently pursuing her ACCA courses.

Antonia Ferdinand-Amedee , Financial Controller, Sandals Grande Saint Lucian is from Desruisseaux in Micoud and attended St. Joseph’s Convent in Castries. She holds a BSc in Business Management from the UWI and is also now an ACCA student-on-the-job. With over 25 years’ experience in Finance, Antonia is presently Financial Controller for Sandals Grande Saint Lucian, but she’s also worked with “all-three” SRI resorts in St Lucia as part of the Finance Team (as Finance Manager and now Financial Controller). And with SRI planning ahead for Sandals 2.0, Antonia is already readying to move-on-up to her next top-job: as Finance Controller for SRI’s next major Caribbean resort, Beaches at Buccament Bay, in neighboring Saint Vincent & The Grenadines.