Caribbean News

Sandals Resorts Celebrates Caribbean Excellence At The 2021 World Travel Awards

Published

2 years ago

October 30, 2021

Luxury Included® Resort Company Takes Home 12 Accolades at the Prestigious Caribbean and North America Awards Ceremony

#Caribbean, October 30, 2021 – Sandals Resorts International (SRI) is thrilled to announce that the company has received twelve prestigious awards at the 28th Annual Caribbean and North America World Travel Awards virtual presentation on October 18, 2021.

Special recognition was given to Sandals Resorts International as the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand 2021 for the 28th consecutive year, as the resort company celebrates the 40th anniversary of Sandals Resorts and continues to pave the path of excellence and innovation in the travel industry.

Sandals Resorts International was recognized with 12 awards, including:

Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand 2021: Sandals Resorts International
Caribbean’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort 2021: Beaches Turks & Caicos
Caribbean’s Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort 2021: Sandals Grenada
Caribbean’s Leading Resort 2021: Sandals Royal Barbados
Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Resort 2021: Sandals South Coast, Jamaica
Caribbean’s Most Romantic Resort 2021: Sandals Grande Antigua
Bahamas’ Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2021: Sandals Emerald Bay
Grenada’s Leading Resort 2021: Sandals Grenada
Jamaica’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort 2021: Beaches Negril
Jamaica’s Leading Resort 2021: Sandals Montego Bay
St Lucia’s Leading Resort 2021: Sandals Grande St. Lucian
Caribbean’s Leading Adventure Tour Operator 2021: Island Routes Caribbean Adventures

“It is our great honour today for Sandals Resorts International to be recognized as this year’s recipient of the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand,” said Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International. “For four decades we have held an unwavering commitment to hospitality excellence across the region,” continued Stewart. “We will continue to live our promise to our customers, valued travel advisors and our communities, and we will keep exceeding expectations through our dedication to hard work and innovation.”

Following a year of innovation, Sandals South Coast was named as the Caribbean’s Honeymoon Resort 2021 by the World Travel Awards, boasting the world’s first-ever Swim-Up Rondoval Suites, the longest pool in the western hemisphere spanning 17,040 sq. ft, and a remastered 112-room Dutch Village – perfect for honeymooners and all couples in love.

SRI’s family friendly all-inclusive brand, Beaches® Resorts, was also recognized in the World Travel Awards with Beaches Turks and Caicos winning the Caribbean’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort for the 18^th time. Packed with fun for families of all ages, Beaches Turks and Caicos features five magnificent villages that exemplify the architectures of Italy, France, the Caribbean, and Key West. With endless land and water-sport activities, a 45,000 square foot water park, and 21-gourmet restaurants, there is something for everyone at this one-of-a-kind resort.

Sandals Resorts International’s sister company Island Routes Adventure Tours, was also recognized by the World Travel Awards, taking home the Caribbean’s Leading Adventure Tour Operator for the 9th year. Island Routes offers guests off-site experiences that truly immerse them in the local culture and beauty the islands have to offer.

“Even in these unprecedented times, it is an honor to be recognized for continuing to deliver exceptional and authentic destination experiences. We pride ourselves on this recognition and promise to continue delivering one-of-a-kind excursions and extraordinary service while always looking to raise the bar on our products and offerings,” said Ryan Terrier, Vice President of Operations, Island Routes.

The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 for the sole purpose of acknowledging and celebrating achievements in all areas of the world’s travel and tourism industry. Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognized globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire. Each year the World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognize and celebrate individual and collective successes within each key geographical region.

For more information about these award-winning resorts, please visit www.sandals.com and www.beaches.com. For more information on the World Travel Awards, please visit https://www.worldtravelawards.com/.

Release: Sandals Resorts

Caribbean News

CARICOM pushes need for Reparations Tribunal at Forum in Geneva

Published

16 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer

Words are in circulation in support for the establishment of an international tribunal, geared towards seeking reparations for centuries long transatlantic slave trade, after a CARICOM official made calls at the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) in Geneva, Switzerland.

During day two of the gathering held from April 16 to 19, 2024, David Comissiong, Barbados Ambassador to the Caribbean Community, stated there is a need for the tribunal as there is currently no international court to deal with the issues of reparations.

Commision, like the other members that support his view, according to reports, are aware this won’t be an easy feat, as he expressed that establishing the tribunal would require a “positive decision” by the UN General Assembly, further calling on the officials at the Forum and the UN, to come together through international collaboration and “make this happen.”

The idea creation of the tribunal was born last year 2023, suggested by the PFPAD, now reiterated by Comissiong.

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, in a video, addressing the opening of the forum, supported the ongoing calls for respiratory efforts, a sentiment not shared by many.

Mentioning that racism is still an issue in today’s society, Guterres said, “ now we must build on that momentum, to drive meaningful change by ensuring that people of African descent enjoy the full and equal realization of their human rights; by stepping up efforts to eliminate racism and discrimination, including through reparations.”

Caribbean News

CARICOM sends warning as Oil prices creep higher in the Israel v Iran conflict; 14 regional states import energy

Published

16 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

Garfield Ekon
Staff Writer

The recent attack on the Sate of Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran, has delivered growing uncertainty across the Caribbean region, and the rest of the global economy.

Chief among the many concerns, is the free flow of oil from the Middle East, which stands at 31% of daily production for the global economy. At minimum, shipping costs are likely to increase based on the increased risk of military action in the Persian Gulf.

Pressure is also building on US and European insurance clubs to avoid any transaction, including those with China, that involve Iranian crude and additional rerouting of oil and gas shipments in response to Houthi threats, or Allied responses.

According to the Caribbean Community Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), “these developments not only exacerbate the already tense situation but also pose significant threats to regional stability and international peace,” the group warned in a media statement.

It added that the continued cycle of retaliation, including the recent attack on Israel by Hamas, Israel’s “disproportionate response” in Gaza, and the “alarming new dimension of direct confrontations between Israel and Iran, leads to an untenable situation fraught with potential for greater regional conflict and global instability.

“The human toll of this conflict, highlighted by tragic incidents such as deaths and injuries to children, demand an immediate and empathetic response from the global community. It is imperative that there be no further escalation that can lead to more suffering and instability,” it said.

While calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, the regional body underscored that it strongly urges both nations to halt any further military actions that could worsen the situation, endangering not only their own populations but also the broader international community.

“We implore all parties to consider the severe consequences of further conflict and to commit to diplomatic solutions that ensure the safety, sovereignty, and dignity of all people involved,” the CARICOM statement said.

On October 6, 2023, the day before Hamas attacked Israel, the international benchmark Brent crude was trading at $85 per barrel and has been fluctuating at up to $96.

On Thursday, it traded at $91 per barrel. With the exception of gas-rich Trinidad and Tobago, the 14 other countries of CARICOM, are energy importers.

Approximately 93 percent of the region’s energy needs are met by oil imports, which average 13% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Caribbean News

Gov’t Committed to Seeking Reparations for Chattel Slavery – Minister Grange

Published

16 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

KINGSTON, April 16 (JIS):

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, says the Jamaican Government remains committed to seeking reparations for the prolonged period of chattel enslavement endured by the African forefathers on the country’s plantations.

Minister Grange said that the historical events of the transatlantic slave trade continue to have a lasting impact on Black communities to this day.

She contended that the ongoing struggles to finance education and healthcare, address poverty and housing issues, respond to economic shocks and climate change impacts, and foster peaceful societies are all rooted in the historical legacy of enslavement.

Minister Grange was addressing a church service on Sunday (April 14) at the Webster Memorial United Church in St. Andrew, where an apology was issued on behalf of the United Reform Church (URC) in the United Kingdom (UK) by Moderator of the Assembly of the URC, Reverend Tessa Henry-Robinson, for the church’s historical involvement in slavery.

“We, the general assembly of the United Reform Church, mindful of our own history and that of our antecedent bodies, wish to confess and apologise for our role in transatlantic slavery and the scars which continue to blight our society, our church and the lives of Black people in our midst and around the globe today,” the apology read.

Minister Grange, in accepting the apology, urged UK churches, particularly those whose representatives were present for the historic apology in Jamaica, to communicate to their government the ethical imperative of admitting culpability through an apology and working with Jamaica to discern the potential avenues for reparations.

She said that the church’s role in the transatlantic slave trade has had significant and enduring effects on Black communities, impacting society, the church itself, and the lives of Black individuals worldwide.

“It is this complicity of the church that gave solace and comfort to the citizens and governments of UK and Europe as they endorsed and defended with their military project, that saw the capture, the torture, the dehumanisation, and devaluation of African people, legacies of which we experience today as racism, white supremacy, and discrimination,” she stated.

“We struggle to build peaceful, stable societies because of the perpetration of violence which was the platform on which enslavement was executed yet, in spite of this, we have been good converts to these same religions. Our people have adopted and adapted the doctrines and rituals of these new religions and in many instances have energised and revitalised them with cultural practices of African spirituality,” the Minister emphasised.

The URC is a community of Christians gathering in local churches across England, Scotland, and Wales, and is part of the global family of Reformed Churches, comprising more than 70 million Christians.

With approximately 42,000 members in around 1,200 congregations, supported by more than 600 ministers, the URC plays a significant role in the spiritual and communal life of its members and the broader community.

CONTACT: BRITNEY STEVENS