Caribbean News
Patricia Affonso-Dass Named Caribbean Hotelier of the Year
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – Patricia Affonso-Dass, Group General Manager of Ocean Hotels Group in Barbados, is the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Hotelier of the Year. This recognition is a testament to her decades-long dedication and exemplary leadership in the hospitality industry, underscoring her significant contributions to Barbados and the wider Caribbean region.
A true product of the Caribbean, Affonso-Dass was born in Dominica and lived in in Trinidad and Antigua before moving to Guyana where she grew up. She has lived in Barbados for the past 22 years.
After earning her degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University, she embarked on an impressive career spanning over 30 years. From her initial role with CHTA (formerly CHA, under the Caribbean Hospitality Training Institute), to her pioneering work in Guyana where she managed an eco-resort and was one of the founding members and early presidents of the Guyana Hotel and Tourism Association, to her current position at Ocean Hotels Group, she has consistently demonstrated a passion for excellence and a commitment to elevating Caribbean tourism standards.
A passionate believer in the power of local hotel and tourism associations to be change agents for the industry and their countries, she served as President of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, while also contributing to the regional development of the
industry, serving on the Board and Executive Committee for CHTA and later being elected by her peers to serve as the organization’s president.
As CHTA President from 2018 to 2020, the hotelier navigated unprecedented challenges posed by a series of major hurricanes, followed by the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. During her presidency, she played a pivotal role in shaping tourism policy and fostering collaboration among industry stakeholders.
Vanessa Ledesma, CHTA’s Acting CEO and Director General, commented, “Patricia’s exceptional leadership was instrumental in steering the association through this period of uncertainty and recovery. Her deep-rooted support for the development of Caribbean people has been exemplified throughout her career, as she’s discovered and developed countless local talent, mentoring and guiding them, with many moving on to positions of senior management and leadership in the industry.”
Under Affonso-Dass’ strategic guidance, Ocean Hotels Group has become a center of hospitality excellence in Barbados. Her hands-on approach and visionary leadership have led to the successful management of properties such as O2 Beach Club & Spa, Sea Breeze Beach House, and The Rockley. Each property offers guests an unparalleled experience rooted in Bajan authenticity.
Renée Coppin, Chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), remarked, “Patricia’s commitment to service and excellence is unmatched. Her leadership has not only elevated Ocean Hotels Group but has also positively impacted the wider Caribbean tourism landscape.”
Beyond her professional endeavors, Affonso-Dass has tirelessly advocated for the industry, serving in various capacities within the BHTA. As President, she played a pivotal role in shaping tourism policy and fostering collaboration among industry stakeholders.
The Caribbean Hotelier of the Year Award, one of the highest honors bestowed by CHTA, recognizes excellence in Caribbean hotel operations. It celebrates superior achievement in resort operations, food & beverage, marketing and sales, resort maintenance, staff training and motivation, innovative management, environmental practices, community affairs, and involvement with national and regional lodging industry associations.
CAPTION: Patricia Affonso-Dass (center) with Barbados Minister of Tourism Ian Gooding-Edghill and Renée Coppin, Chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, in Montego Bay today.
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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