Winners of the 2019 Crystal Pineapple Awards.
MAHO–The twelfth St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) Crystal Pineapple Awards (CPA) Fundraising Gala was held at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino and Spa on Saturday, November 25.
This was the first CPA gala in two years, as the last one was held in 2016, before Hurricane Irma. Sundial School students provided hospitality dinner service to the gala’s attendees.
The CPA is the largest event in St. Maarten that recognises excellence in “hospitality and trade personnel, organisations and associations,” according to an SHTA press release.
Fifty persons were nominated for 11 awards in the public voting categories. There were also three “outstanding achievement” awards, whose recipients were selected by SHTA’s board.
Sjorensly Valies of SXM Crazy Beach Chairs was awarded a CPA in the Environmental category for his “ongoing assistance to keep Mullet Bay Beach clean,” said SHTA in a press release.
St. Maarten Training Foundation (SMTF) won this year’s Community Service Award for “providing subsidised education to those hotel employees without work post-Hurricane Irma.”
Former winner of Rookie of the Year in Hospitality, Christopher Smith of Oyster Bay Beach Resort, helped to present this year’s award, which was won by Johnell Davis of Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA). “If you enjoy your work as much as I do, there is no work,” said Smith.
SHTA awarded Ronald Halman a special CPA for his efforts over the last 10 years as President of the General Audit Chamber. SHTA said Halman has “St. Maarten society at heart in everything he does” and “personifies the independence, advocacy and integrity that citizens demand of our high councils of state.”
On behalf of Emilio’s Restaurant, Su Wathey accepted the Restaurant of the Year Award.
Nalia Muriel of St. Maarten Nectar was selected as Entrepreneur of the Year.
The second special award was presented to Windward Islands Airways International Winair for its “rejuvenation and success.” SHTA said, “Like a phoenix from the ashes,” the airline “fought itself back from dark days, in a very difficult and highly competitive market, showcasing to all of St. Maarten what good corporate governance is.”
Well-known radio personality Kevin “Suppa Kid” Petrona won this year’s Media Personality of the Year.
The CPA for Manager of the Year in Trade was won by Wai-Hing Patterson-Yee of Guardian Group Fatum.
Agnes Hughes of Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino and Spa was awarded the CPA for Manager of the Year in Hospitality.
Kyle Richardson of Caribbean Palms took home the CPA for Employee of the Year in Trade, and Jahvaughny Ayee of Domino’s Pizza received the award for Employee of the Year in Hospitality.
The final award of the evening was a special award presented to well-known hotelier Keith Graham for his “work for the St. Maarten tourism product and society at large, most notably his recurring voluntary efforts in recovery after hurricanes.”
According to SHTA, Graham has been “working tirelessly to put St. Maarten back on the map for visitors with the Emergency Recovery Fund after Hurricane Luis, [and – Ed.] being one of the strongest advocates for protecting hospitality employees after the devastation of [Hurricane] Irma … so that employees would be able to upgrade their skills instead of sitting idle waiting for hotel re-openings.”
SHTA started and closed the event by thanking main sponsors Interval International and CC1 St. Maarten for being the “main enablers of the comeback of the Crystal Pineapple Awards as an iconic event for the St. Maarten private sector.”
As an additional note of thanks, SHTA hailed its host, Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino and Spa, as a “symbol of the resilience of the St. Maarten private sector.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/92759-shta-crystal-pineapple-awards-come-back-after-two-year-hiatus
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