Carib Scope

标签： Saint Lucia

圣卢西亚

  • Will it be Ciceron or Gros Islet? Carnival Queen Pageant rivalry heats up

    Will it be Ciceron or Gros Islet? Carnival Queen Pageant rivalry heats up

    The National Carnival Queen Pageant, one of Saint Lucia’s most anticipated annual cultural events, is gearing up for its 2024 installment, bringing with it all the beloved fanfare that has made it a staple of the island’s summer calendar. From fiery social media debates between supporter groups to tense sponsorship competition and the time-honored inter-regional rivalries that draw audiences year after year, this year’s iteration is on track to deliver all the excitement pageant fans have come to expect.

    Following a series of regional auditions, organizers have narrowed the field to nine finalists representing constituencies across the island: Ciceron (Castries South), Desruisseaux (Micoud South), Gros Islet, Mabouya Valley (Dennery North), Dennery South, and La Clery (Castries North). Castries South in fact boasts two finalists this year, Faith Edward and Sydney James, both hailing from the Ciceron community. Gros Islet is sending three delegates to the competition: Adel Montoute, Derrelle DuBois from Grande Riviere, and Simone Sonson from Reduit. The 2023 crown was claimed by Ermele Tisson, a contestant from Choiseul, who will pass on her title at the July 4 event.

    The pageant has already garnered playful public attention from two sitting members of parliament, who have opened up about their regional loyalties in lighthearted interviews ahead of the main event. While many local politicians typically avoid picking favorites to keep an air of neutrality, both MPs have been open about where their loyalties lie, much to the amusement of pageant followers.

    Dr Ernest Hilaire, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Tourism and Culture and the sitting MP for Castries South, spoke at the official sashing ceremony for contestants, noting that this year’s pageant has him more excited than he has been in any previous year. Joking with the audience, he quipped that his heightened anticipation had nothing to do with Castries South fielding two contestants from the Ciceron community, barely hiding his amusement as he made the tongue-in-cheek comment. Hilaire confirmed he will be in attendance at the July 4 finals to cheer for Edward and James, alongside all other competing delegates who he said he expects to deliver strong performances.

    Kenson Casimir, Minister for Education, Youth Development and Sports and MP for Gros Islet, which is sending three contestants to the competition, has a long history of providing financial support to local delegates, and confirmed he will extend that support equally to all three Gros Islet contestants this year, with no preferential treatment for any candidate.

    What makes Casimir’s support particularly notable is that one of his constituency’s delegates, Adel Montoute, is the daughter of Spider Montoute, Casimir’s former political opponent. When asked if he would favor Montoute less because of the family’s political history, Casimir was refreshingly honest. He told reporters he is openly rooting for a Gros Islet candidate to take the crown, and specifically said he would be overjoyed to see Montoute win.

    Casimir explained his personal connection to Montoute: the candidate hails from Marie Therese Street in Gros Islet, the same neighborhood where Casimir was born and raised. Drawing on longstanding local tradition of inter-neighborhood rivalry within Gros Islet, he noted that he would be proud to see a candidate from his home street take the title, while also adding that DuBois and Sonson both have strong shots at victory as well. Speaking ahead of the pageant, Casimir shared that he is already counting down the days to the July 4 event, confident that his constituency’s delegates will put on a show to remember.

  • Jules takes first place in US collegiate pole vault event

    Jules takes first place in US collegiate pole vault event

    A group of talented Saint Lucian collegiate track and field athletes turned in a series of impressive results at weekend competitions across the United States, led by 19-year-old Naya Jules of Garden City Community College, who claimed a historic victory at the Tabor Invite held in McPherson, Kansas.

    Jules, who hails from Babonneau, not only took home the gold medal in the women’s pole vault but also broke her institution’s school record in the event with a clearance of 3.08 meters, the second-highest mark of her young career. Beyond her pole vault win, the young talent put in strong work across two additional disciplines: she secured third place in the javelin throw with a 40.16-meter effort, marking the third time this season she has topped the 40-meter threshold, and notched a fourth-place finish in the 100-meter sprint hurdles. Aided by a 5.4 meter-per-second tailwind, Jules clocked a new personal best of 16.87 seconds in the hurdles race, capping off a breakout weekend for the Broncbusters standout.

    Jules’ performance headlined a broader week of strong results for Saint Lucian athletes competing at the NCAA and collegiate levels, with other competitors earning podium positions and personal bests at meets spanning from Illinois to Texas.

    At the Chicagoland Championships in Elmhurst, Illinois, Cagini Pilgrim, a sophomore from Castries competing for Lewis University, earned a silver medal in the men’s 200-meter dash, crossing the line in 21.58 seconds. Pilgrim also competed at the Bison Outdoor Classic, where he placed 17th in the same event with a time of 21.85 seconds.

    Down in College Station, Texas, Lauralyn Clifford, a senior transfer at the University of Texas at San Antonio, extended her consistent form in the women’s hammer throw at the 44 Farms Team Invitational hosted at E.B. Cushing Stadium. Clifford notched her fourth consecutive throw over 58 meters, recording a mark of 58.24 meters to claim fourth place overall.

    At the Bucknell Outdoor Classic, Malaika George, a freshman at St Bonaventure University and an alumna of St Joseph’s Convent, ran a new personal best of 1:00.65 in the women’s 400-meter dash. The result moved George up to third on the program’s all-time performance list, and she also competed in the same event at the Bison Outdoor Classic, placing 50th overall with the same personal best time.

    Several other Saint Lucian athletes also recorded notable results across the week’s slate of competitions. Miguel Charlery took first place in the men’s 100-meter dash at the Delaware Invite with a time of 11.10 seconds. At the Duke Invitational, Asa Francis clocked 1:51.87 to place 21st in the men’s 800-meter, while Rayshawn Harris finished 10th in the men’s 800-meter at the Bison Invite with a time of 2:01.78. Jasmine Stiede placed fifth in the women’s 800-meter at the Arkansas Spring Invite, running 2:14.65.

    Aasia Laurencin turned in a pair of strong sprints at the Seminole Invite, placing seventh in the women’s 100-meter in 11.76 seconds and taking third in the women’s 200-meter with a time of 23.73 seconds. At the Jo Meaker Classic, Kereser Augustin placed 34th in the women’s 200-meter (24.94 seconds) and fifth in the women’s 400-meter (54.75 seconds). Raelyn Cyril placed fourth in the women’s 400-meter at the UIL 6A District 23 Meet (57.36 seconds), while Maiya Landers placed ninth in the same event with a time of 1:00.97. Carleen Lionel recorded a 12.52-second 100-meter (20th) and 25.39-second 200-meter (10th) at the Rutgers Relays. Narlia Albert placed 16th in the women’s 100-meter (13.87 seconds) and 24th in the women’s 200-meter (28.80 seconds) at the Delaware Invite. Rounding out the results, Natalie Albert threw 53.35 meters to claim fifth place in the women’s hammer throw at the Crimson Tide Invite.

  • JCI West Indies VP visit boosts Saint Lucia’s push to host regional convention

    JCI West Indies VP visit boosts Saint Lucia’s push to host regional convention

    As countdown preparations for Junior Chamber International (JCI) West Indies’ 66th National Convention ramp up, regional executive Laurel Jonas has wrapped up a four-day working visit to host nation Saint Lucia, wrapping up on April 12.

    The landmark annual gathering of the regional JCI chapter is scheduled to run from October 7 to 11 across Saint Lucia, drawing young professional delegates from every corner of the Caribbean bloc. Beyond simple networking, the convention is designed to deliver targeted skill-building: attendees will take part in interactive training modules focused on honing leadership capabilities and strengthening capacity for impactful community development projects, while also deepening existing professional bonds and expanding their cross-regional professional networks.

    Jonas, who serves dual roles as National Executive Vice President of JCI West Indies and the chapter’s supervising officer, centered her visit on coordination with the local JCI St. Lucia executive body and general membership. Over the four days, her agenda included a full review of the local chapter’s overall operational performance, collaborative mapping of growth opportunities to expand community impact, and hands-on progress checks for convention readiness.

    Jade Ella Albert, public relations officer for JCI St. Lucia, shared details of Jonas’ visit, noting that the regional executive led specialized training workshops focused on workplace professionalism and executive leadership. These sessions were tailored to upskill the local organizing team, laying a strong foundation for the convention’s successful execution.

    Albert emphasized that Jonas’ in-person visit highlights JCI West Indies’ unwavering commitment to equipping the Saint Lucia team to deliver a dynamic, world-class gathering that will leave a lasting impression on all delegates. Beyond training and performance reviews, Jonas also contributed to high-level strategic talks and partnership negotiations with potential sponsors and supporting entities, strengthening the collaborative framework required to deliver the convention at the highest international standard.

    Right now, the local JCI St. Lucia team is deep in active planning to welcome hundreds of regional delegates this October. As the organizing drive continues, the chapter is issuing a call for collaboration: the group is inviting aligned individuals, local businesses, and mission-driven organizations with a commitment to corporate social responsibility to explore partnership opportunities to support the convention and JCI St. Lucia’s ongoing community initiatives.

    Albert noted that these partnerships offer mutual value: beyond contributing to tangible, meaningful community development across Saint Lucia and the wider region, partners will gain targeted visibility and direct engagement within JCI’s growing network of young, forward-thinking leaders.

    As part of the global JCI movement, both JCI St. Lucia and JCI West Indies are core components of a voluntary international network that brings together young professionals and entrepreneurs between the ages of 20 and 40. The global organization’s core mission centers on creating accessible development opportunities that empower young people to drive positive, lasting change across their communities.

  • Saint Lucia stay top in Windwards U19 cricket

    Saint Lucia stay top in Windwards U19 cricket

    In a dominant display of fast bowling at Dominica’s Geneva Playing Field on Wednesday, Nathaniel Joseph’s sensational match-defining hat-trick handed Saint Lucia a 79-run victory over St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), consolidating their position at the summit of the Winlott Inc Windward Islands Under-19 Men’s Super50 Championship points table.

    Sent in to bat first after winning the toss, Saint Lucia was bowled out inside 37 overs for a total of 179. The innings got off to a promising start, with opening pair Jermian Thomas and Roystan Fannis stitching together a 50-run stand. Thomas, who struck two fours and two sixes, fell for a quick-fire 29 off 19 deliveries, with Fannis following shortly after for 21.

    Saint Lucia captain Theo Edward delivered a standout batting performance, scoring 43 runs from 52 balls including one four and three sixes, nearly doubling his total run tally across the tournament so far. Edward shared a crucial 41-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Tyler Venner, lifting the score from 104/4 to 145/5 before Edward was dismissed in the 27th over. SVG’s Kevin Joseph turned in an excellent bowling spell to drag his side back into contention, claiming four top-order wickets as the final five Saint Lucia wickets added only 34 runs to the total.

    SVG’s chase got off to a disastrous start that they never recovered from. Venner removed opener Alston Bobb in the very first over, setting the stage for Joseph’s magical second over. The pacey right-armer from South Castries picked up wickets of Ozaid Edwards, Kevin Joseph and Jorden Charles off three consecutive deliveries, leaving SVG reeling early on.

    Venner compounded SVG’s misery in the fifth over, claiming two more wickets to his name: Jawayne Adams for three runs and Kazado Henry for a duck. With the score crumbling to 12/6 after just five overs, SVG’s celebrations from their first tournament victory the previous day quickly faded.

    Opening batsman Zach Thomas and all-rounder Lebron Douglas managed to steady the innings somewhat, putting together a patient 40-run partnership that spanned almost 60 deliveries. Neil Poyotte broke the stand by removing Douglas for seven, and Olani Slack followed shortly after for another duck, falling to Liam Wilson. Thomas was eventually dismissed by Poyotte for a defiant 54, before Joseph wrapped up the victory by taking the final wicket of Elran Glasgow for 16.

    The final bowling figures told the story of Saint Lucia’s dominance: Joseph finished with 4 wickets for just 10 runs off 5.2 overs, while Venner claimed 3 wickets for 10 runs off five overs. Poyotte chipped in with 2 wickets for 16 runs off four overs. The result sees Joseph move level at the top of the tournament’s wicket-taking charts with 11 wickets, boasting an impressive economy rate of 2.84 and an average of 4.73. Venner’s seven wickets puts him fourth on the leaderboard after four rounds of competition.

    In the other match played on Wednesday, Dominica secured a win over Grenada to keep level on points with Saint Lucia, though Dominica trails the league leaders on net run rate. Following a scheduled rest day on Thursday, Saint Lucia will face two tough consecutive matches: a rematch against Grenada, who defeated them last Sunday, and a clash against defending champions Dominica, who Saint Lucia beat on Tuesday.

  • Governor General travels to Martinique for medical care

    Governor General travels to Martinique for medical care

    In an official statement released Wednesday, the Office of the Governor General of Saint Lucia has confirmed that the nation’s current Governor General, Sir Cyril E. M. Charles, has traveled to the Caribbean island of Martinique to seek specialized medical treatment.

    In line with the constitutional provisions laid out in Section 22(1)(c) of Saint Lucia’s founding Constitution, Felix Finisterre has been formally appointed to serve as acting deputy during Sir Cyril’s medical leave. Throughout the Governor General’s absence, Finisterre will assume all required responsibilities and carry out the core duties of the Office of the Governor General to uphold the normal operations of the institution.

    Senior government officials have emphasized that all necessary administrative and procedural arrangements have already been finalized to guarantee full continuity of the Governor General’s statutory and ceremonial duties. These pre-planned steps are designed to ensure all official government business proceeds without disruption or delay across all areas of the office’s mandate.

    Sir Cyril is accompanied on his trip by his spouse, Lady Anicia Charles. On behalf of the entire Charles family, a public request has been made for the prayers and supportive well-wishes of Saint Lucian citizens across the country as Sir Cyril undergoes his medical care.

  • Miss Saint Lucia crowned Caribbean Carnival Queen 2026

    Miss Saint Lucia crowned Caribbean Carnival Queen 2026

    The 55th anniversary edition of St. Maarten Carnival wrapped up one of its most anticipated showcases Wednesday evening, with a new queen crowned for the 2026 Caribbean Carnival Queen pageant. The prestigious regional competition unfolded at the iconic Jocelyn Arndell Festival Village on the island of Sint Maarten, drawing top pageant contestants from across the Caribbean to compete for the coveted title.

    By the end of the judging process, Miss Saint Lucia Emerle Tisson claimed the crown, stepping into the regional spotlight as the 2026 titleholder. Tisson’s performance edged out fellow competitors from eight other Caribbean nations and territories to secure the top honor.

    First runner-up honors went to Miss St. Eustatius Kentonea Fortin, who delivered a standout performance that impressed judges and audiences alike. On home turf, Miss St. Maarten Keisy Quant earned a warm reception from the local crowd as she claimed the second runner-up position.

    Additional competitors vying for the title represented Anguilla, Barbados, Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, highlighting the pageant’s status as a unifying cultural event across the Caribbean region. The 2026 Caribbean Carnival Queen pageant was organized and hosted by the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation, the governing body behind the island’s annual anniversary carnival celebrations.

  • ‘If I were PM for one term’: Youth share ideas for change

    ‘If I were PM for one term’: Youth share ideas for change

    Across the Caribbean, young people have long been recognized as a transformative force for national progress, bringing fresh perspectives and unconventional solutions to long-standing systemic challenges. To capture what this demographic would prioritize if given the highest executive office, a regional outreach initiative posed a simple question: What would you change if you served a term as prime minister?

    The project gathered input from thousands of young people across the Caribbean, intentionally expanding beyond a single nation’s borders to capture shared regional challenges. Responses were collected via social media platforms and digital community spaces where young people already gather and exchange ideas, with optional anonymity to encourage open, unfiltered feedback from participants who preferred privacy.

    Housing emerged as the most widely cited source of frustration among respondents, with widespread economic barriers including high unemployment and underemployment putting homeownership and affordable rental housing out of reach for a large share of the region’s youth. Participants offered a range of creative, targeted solutions to address this gap. Rany Horne, a native of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines who currently resides in Trinidad, proposed a national land lottery scheme that would reserve plots exclusively for high-achieving graduating students.

    “This would reward academic achievement and provide young people with a tangible asset to start their future,” Horne explained of the proposal, which ties entry into the random draw to proven scholastic success. Meanwhile, Kimberly Mathurin of Saint Lucia called for targeted support for vulnerable households, specifically low-income single-parent families. If she held the office of prime minister, Mathurin would introduce heavily subsidized housing units for this group, covering the majority of monthly rental costs to ease financial strain. For example, on a 900 Eastern Caribbean dollar monthly rent, the government would cover 600 dollars, leaving just 300 dollars for the household to pay.

    A second top priority for participating youth was overhauling public health care, a sector that currently drives widespread medical emigration as Caribbean residents seek higher-quality treatment in higher-income countries in the Global North. Horne proposed an immediate transparency reform: requiring all public hospitals to publish the full unsubsidized cost of every treatment and service alongside the amount the government covers through taxpayer funding. He argued that greater public awareness of how heavily health care is already subsidized would encourage more responsible use of limited public medical resources. Aliyah Albertson, a young Saint Lucian, put forward a more sweeping reform: adopting a national universal healthcare insurance model modeled after Taiwan’s system, which would guarantee access to quality medical care for all residents regardless of their income or social status.

    Youth participants also identified violent and organized crime as a critical drain on regional development, backing up this concern with existing economic data: the International Monetary Fund has repeatedly documented that Caribbean nations divert large shares of public and private capital away from productive investments in education, health care, and infrastructure to cover increased costs for security, policing, and criminal justice operations, placing a direct economic burden on everyday citizens. To address this, Horne proposed a structured policy reform for law enforcement: mandatory periodic rotation of police officers between different districts and stations, which he argues would reduce opportunities for corruption and the development of overly close ties between officers and local criminal networks, while improving overall police accountability. He also called for increased staffing at national ports and border entry points to crack down on illegal smuggling of contraband that fuels organized criminal activity. Going beyond policing, a participant who identified only as Harvey argued that long-term crime reduction requires proactive investment in at-risk youth: “More youth programs, sports mentorship and job pathways, when young men have direction and income, crime drops naturally.”

    Public transportation is another long-standing vexing issue across Caribbean island nations, where unreliable, fragmented service turns daily commuting into a time-consuming drain that reduces overall economic productivity. Young respondents offered straightforward, actionable fixes for this problem. An anonymous participant from Saint Lucia proposed expanding government-owned public bus systems, a model that already operates successfully in some parts of the region. Under this system, buses run on fixed schedules from centralized terminals, allowing commuters to plan their trips reliably. However, participants noted that any transportation reform would require complementary investments: Harvey called for upgrades to road infrastructure, more consistent vehicle reliability, and expanded broadband access across rural areas to support new digital scheduling and ticketing services.

    Finally, youth participants prioritized expanding and diversifying employment opportunities across the region’s small island developing states, where unemployment rates remain persistently high and many economies rely on a narrow set of traditional industries. Harvey argued that unlocking new job opportunities requires investing in underdeveloped creative industries and niche markets that align with young people’s skills.

    “Too many people rely on limited sectors,” he said. “I’d push hard to grow creative industries like photography, music, digital content and tech services, and small businesses. That means funding young entrepreneurs, cutting red tape, and making it easier to start and run a business. Someone with a camera or a skill shouldn’t struggle to turn it into real money.”

    Harvey also emphasized that job growth requires fundamental education reform to equip young people with the skills they need to succeed in these growing sectors. “Education reform, not just academics, but real-life skills, such as financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and digital skills, should be added,” he explained. “School should prepare you to earn, not just pass exams. I’d also strengthen trade programs so being a skilled electrician, mechanic, or builder is just as respected and as profitable as other fields.”

    In sum, the collective feedback from participating youth across the Caribbean makes clear that the demographic wants governments to prioritize the needs of ordinary citizens over the political interests of international partners, political allies, or connected elites. While young people are still largely underrepresented in executive and legislative office across the region, they are eager to contribute thoughtful, solutions-oriented ideas to the national and regional policy discourse.

  • Saint Lucia netball team protest U16 loss to Grenada

    Saint Lucia netball team protest U16 loss to Grenada

    A fierce netball clash at the Jean Pierre Caribbean Youth Tournament has erupted into controversy, with Saint Lucia officially contesting its narrow 33-32 defeat to Grenada, claiming critical late-game officiating errors directly altered the final result. The contentious match was held on April 14 at the UWI SPEC venue in St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.

  • Why your electricity bill might go up: Understanding the fuel surcharge

    Why your electricity bill might go up: Understanding the fuel surcharge

    Residents of the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia are bracing for a sharp jump in monthly electricity costs, driven by skyrocketing global crude oil prices that are rippling through the country’s fossil fuel-dependent energy sector.

    To understand the price increase, it is first necessary to break down the structure of consumer electricity bills from LUCELEC, the island’s main electricity provider. Every bill is split into two core components: a fixed basic rate that covers infrastructure and operational overhead, and a variable fuel cost adjustment, more commonly referred to as a fuel surcharge. Unlike fixed basic rates, this surcharge scales directly with a customer’s energy consumption, and its sole purpose is to pass through the fluctuating cost of fuel used to generate electricity to end users.

    Currently, Saint Lucia generates the vast majority of its electricity using imported crude oil, leaving its entire energy market extremely vulnerable to shifts in global commodity prices. The most recent data confirms the scale of the increase: in April 2026, the fuel surcharge jumped to 25.5 cents per unit of electricity, a dramatic surge from just 0.7 cents per unit recorded in March. In plain terms, the global market has pushed the cost of fuel for power generation far higher, and that additional expense is now being passed directly to Saint Lucian households.

    The root of this sudden price spike lies in broader global market instability. International oil prices are primarily driven by supply and demand dynamics, and ongoing geopolitical tensions, most notably the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, have created significant uncertainty around global oil supply. Market uncertainty around supply almost always pushes prices upward, and for small net energy importers like Saint Lucia, these price hikes hit the electricity sector almost immediately.

    Crucially, even households that have cut their electricity consumption to save money will still see an increase in their total bills, because the surcharge itself has risen per unit. For many local families, this additional cost comes at an already strained moment, when the rising cost of living across the Caribbean has put growing pressure on household budgets.

    Beyond the immediate financial strain on consumers, the sharp surge in the fuel surcharge has reignited public debate around energy policy in Saint Lucia. The crisis lays bare how deeply exposed the island nation is to unpredictable global commodity shocks, which has pushed calls for accelerated investment in domestic renewable energy resources to cut reliance on imported fossil fuel. It also clarifies a key point for consumers: the fuel surcharge is not an arbitrary new tax or fee imposed by the utility, but a direct pass-through of global market costs that will continue to fluctuate alongside international oil prices.

  • ​Saint Lucia celebrates excellence in tourism at GIMIES 2025/26 Awards

    ​Saint Lucia celebrates excellence in tourism at GIMIES 2025/26 Awards

    On April 11, 2026, Saint Lucia’s thriving tourism industry gathered at The Pavilion on Rodney Bay for the 2025 GIMIES Awards, an annual prestigious ceremony that celebrates the top businesses, individuals, and organizations driving the island’s world-renowned travel sector. The event shines a spotlight on outstanding contributions across four core pillars: service excellence, innovative development, sustainable practice, and long-term industry growth, while highlighting the remarkable resilience and consistent expansion of Saint Lucia’s tourism economy.

    One of the most meaningful honors of the night went to Cox & Company, which received a centennial milestone award recognizing 100 years of dedicated service to shaping Saint Lucia’s tourism landscape. The ceremony also presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Felix Finisterre, alongside special recognition for Rosaline Impy Milner, owner of Yacht Club; Isidore Brisefert, a veteran taxi driver with Southern Taxi; and Rebecca Auguste, owner of The Seagull Beach Bar & Grill, for their decades of commitment to the sector.

    In his official remarks at the event, Dr. Ernest Hilaire, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Tourism, Commerce, Culture, Creative Industries and Heritage, emphasized the event’s core mission: “This year’s awards placed strong emphasis on sustainability, innovation, and workforce development – critical pillars shaping the future of tourism on the island. The GIMIES continue to serve as a platform to recognise excellence, inspire high standards, and celebrate the people and organisations that make Saint Lucia a world-class destination.”

    Awards were distributed across two broad categories: individual honors and organizational recognition, spanning every major sub-sector of Saint Lucia’s tourism industry. For individual awards, top honors went to Hermanly Fletcher (Anse Chastanet Resort) as Small Hotel Employee of the Year, Cyrus Elijah Jn. Baptiste (Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort) as Medium Hotel Employee of the Year, and Liam Hippolyte (Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences) as Large Hotel Employee of the Year. In transportation and recreation categories, Iselma Phillip (Hibiscus Tours Saint Lucia) claimed Land-Based Transportation Employee of the Year, Daniel Jn Baptiste (Sea Spray Cruises Ltd) took home Marine-Based Transportation Employee of the Year, R’Montay Regis (Soufriere Regional Development Foundation) won Sites and Adventure Employee of the Year, and Tyller Jules (TS Services SLU) was named Tourism Transport Operator of the Year. Additional individual honors went to Anice O’Neil (UWI Global Campus) as Tourism and Hospitality Student of the Year, Aaron Joseph (Father Nature Adventures) as Independent Tour Guide of the Year, Laila Saige Dolort (Garmaii Enterprises) as Independent Restaurant Employee of the Year, Boniface Modeste (Ladera Resort) as Craft and Souvenir Retailer of the Year, Ivar James (Soufriere Regional Development Foundation) as Port Employee of the Year, Elver Descartes (ATV Direct) won the People’s Choice Award, and Cheris Fitz (Fitzie) took home the Youth in Tourism honor.

    On the organizational side, accommodation category winners included Cap Maison Resort & Spa (Small Hotel of the Year), StolenTime Saint Lucia (Medium Hotel of the Year), Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort (Large Hotel of the Year), and Sunset Bliss Villa (Collection de Pepites Property of the Year). For transportation and recreation, Panoramic Excursions Ltd won Ground Excursion Business of the Year, Sugar Boat Charters Inc. took Small Marine Based Transportation Operator of the Year, Sea Spray Cruises Ltd claimed Large Marine-Based Tourism Transportation Business of the Year, Soufriere Hotwire Rides, Inc. won Sites and Adventure Business of the Year, and Southern Taxi Association was named Transport Company of the Year. Independent sector honors went to Awesome Caribbean Weddings (Wedding and Events Planner of the Year), Spinnakers Beach Bar and Grill (Independent Restaurant of the Year), and Barefoot Holidays St. Lucia (Destination Management Company). Special organizational awards went to Soufriere Regional Development Foundation (Community-Based Tourism), Ladera Resort (Sustainable Tourism), National Skills Development Centre (Tourism Education and Training), Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences (Tourism Social Impact), and LUNAA Journeys (Tourism Innovation).

    The 2025/26 GIMIES Awards were supported by a broad coalition of public and private sector partners, including presenting partners the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Investments, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage, Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, Saint Lucia Hospitality & Tourism Association and the Tourism Enhancement Fund. Additional funding and support came from ultra premium, premium, supporting, and in-kind industry partners across the island. Those who missed the live ceremony can rewatch the full event on NTN via YouTube, and find more information about the awards program through the official GIMIES website, social media channels, and official email contact.