- PHOTO BY JANET SILVERA
The Digicel team from left: Rosemarie Blake, administrative assistant, Craig Fisher, business development manager and Patrick King, Head of Sales, Jamaica in conversation with Ritz Carlton Rose Hall's Director of Human Resources Courthenay Leacock, during the hotels' 5th Anniversary Luncheon.
Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
HARDCORE REGGAE music resonated in the elegant ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall heralding the 5th anniversary luncheon hosted in honour of the ladies and gentlemen of the renowned Five-Diamond resort.
Two big screens displaying the names of the 283 five-year employees who had remained with the hotel for the milestone event, flashed intermittently with evidence of the committed, focused and dedicated ladies and gentlemen who worked hard over the five years to maintain the coveted status.
"Triple (AAA) recognition in a country where people would have sworn on a stack of Bibles that no hotel could ever achieve such a level of service is a great feat," declared general manager Martin Nicolson as he paid tribute to his staff.
THE CAKE
In one section of the room stood the anniversary cake and next to the invitingly mouth-watering topping was an impressive Irish Waterford crystal container engraved with the name, Digicel at the top and Ritz Carlton at the bottom - a gesture of friendship and partnership between the two.
"Through thick and thin, Digicel has stood by us," remarked Mr. Nicolson, as he spoke with pride of the hotel's relationship with the communications giant.
"We see ourselves as premier suppliers in the island, the Ritz in Hospitality and Digicel in communication," said Patrick King, head of Sales Jamaica, Digicel. "We offer all their mobile needs."
THE MENU
Freshly baked rolls with pepperpot soup, marinated avocado, tomatoes, pineapple glazed baked chicken, Jamaican stewed goat, with cho-cho, Irish potatoes and carrots and roasted fish, were some of the menu items. The Ritz team then ceased all chatter and got down to some serious entertainment from their own staff.
The caressing voice of Orville Troupe was the precursor to an exciting afternoon of rapping by Nigel 'Dr. Juice' McIntosh and the sensuous and lyrical tones of candy girl, Delores Bahadour.
At the end of an interesting evening, chairman Courtney Leacock, director of Human Resources and his team, Andrea Allie Thorpe and Ricardo Daley could be proud of a job well done.
Emceeing duties were ably done by Ms. Thorpe.
