The 2013 inauguration of Sandals Resort at Grenada’s Point Salines marked a transformative moment for the island’s hospitality sector, generating unprecedented employment opportunities and career pathways for local talent. This development proved particularly impactful for recent graduates of T A Marryshow Community College, whose professional journeys would eventually span multiple Caribbean nations within the Sandals portfolio.
Onika Phillip, originally from Chantimelle, St Patrick, commenced her career as a restaurant server at Sandals Grenada after completing the Tourism and Hospitality Management programme. “That inaugural professional experience proved invaluable,” Phillip reflected. “It instilled discipline, communication proficiency, teamwork dynamics, and personal accountability while mastering restaurant operations and multitasking requirements.”
Her career trajectory accelerated dramatically through Sandals’ innovative Task Force Programme, which deploys team members across regional resorts to reinforce operational standards and cultural integration. A six-month assignment at Sandals Royal Bahamian in 2019 served as Phillip’s pivotal breakthrough, culminating in her promotion to restaurant hostess—her initial leadership position.
“Opportunities frequently present themselves once in a lifetime,” Phillip advised aspiring professionals. “I embraced the challenge, adapted to requirements, and submitted applications. That experience fundamentally expanded my capabilities and prepared me for managerial responsibilities.”
By 2025, Phillip had ascended to Senior Restaurants Manager at Sandals Royal Curaçao, overseeing nine distinct dining establishments. Rodrigo Maza Gama, Director of Food and Beverage at the resort, characterized her as “naturally charismatic in inspiring and connecting with team members, consistently exceeding expectations through determined leadership.”
Simultaneously, Ashley Gittens of Belmont, St George, launched her hospitality career as a Club Sandals agent despite limited industry knowledge. “During interviews, management recognized my potential and invested substantially in training development,” Gittens acknowledged.
Her participation in two task force assignments—at Sandals Royal Bahamian and Beaches Turks and Caicos—prompted a strategic decision to pursue advanced education. In 2019, Gittens temporarily paused her corporate advancement to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism Management with specializations in destination branding and sustainability at HZ University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands.
“The task force initiative solidified my educational aspirations,” Gittens explained. “Collaborating with regional excellence professionals inspired both academic and career development.” Despite multilingual fluency in German and Dutch creating international opportunities, she ultimately returned to Caribbean hospitality, rejoining Sandals as Club Sandals Manager at the newly operational Sandals Dunn’s River in Jamaica.
Melissa Dauvergne, Hotel Manager at Sandals Dunn’s River, commended Gittens as “gracious, intelligent, and resilient—embodying the definition of a powerful woman refined through unwavering dedication to excellence.”
Both executives emphasize proactive career management for emerging professionals. Phillip recommends actively “requesting opportunities, training, promotions, and understanding industry dynamics with intentional development planning.” Gittens concurs, advising perseverance: “Continue pursuing objectives diligently while maintaining openness to unforeseen opportunities.”
The parallel journeys demonstrate how corporate investment in local talent development, combined with structured mobility programmes, can cultivate leadership excellence while strengthening regional hospitality integration.