The Tribune

A COUPLE who opened some of Abaco’s early hotels and worked to preserve kerosene-fuelled lighthouses are winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award for the 15th Cacique Awards.

David and Phoebe Gale beat 16 others to win the prestigious Clement Maynard Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Abaco couple moved to The Bahamas in 1954 and later became Bahamian citizens.

They started out in the tourism industry as hoteliers, but Mr and Mrs Gale eventually opened Island Marine, renting small boats and cottages to visitors.

Making the announcement at a press conference was former Cacique winner and Blue Ribbon Panel Chairman, Antonius Roberts.

“They have always been involved in community work,” Mr Roberts said.

“One of them started the Abaco division of Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association [BASRA].”

He went on to say that the couple were also responsible for creating The Bahamas Lighthouse Preservation Society for the purpose of saving the last three hand-wound, kerosene-fuelled lighthouses in the world from going automatic.

David Gale also had several articles published in a variety of magazines including Skin Diver, Southern Boating, Sail, Sea History and Abaco Life.

The announcement came as organisers of the Cacique Awards, the highest honour in the Bahamian tourism industry, revealed this year’s finalists – a group that was described as one of the strongest in recent years.

“There is general agreement that this year provided one of the strongest groups of nominees that we’ve had in recent years,” said Dr Patricia Rodgers, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tourism.

“In fact, there were a number of nominees whose accomplishments were so varied and equally outstanding that they were considered in more than one category. We thank the general public for their efforts.”

However, Dr Rodgers said the panel of judges was not able to determine finalists and a winner in the handicraft category.

“This was not because of any lack of talent on the part of the nominees,” she said. “It was simply that our judges found that either insufficient information was submitted about the nominees or the samples of the specific handicraft provided were not up to par.”

Having regard for the integrity of the awards, she said, the panel deemed it advisable to forego an award in the category. She urged those who nominate others in the category to do all they can to provide outstanding examples of the artisan’s work to enable the panel to arrive confidently at a decision.

Stuart Bowe, president of the Bahamas Hotel Association, said the awards programme had reached new heights since it was merged with the Ministry of Tourism’s awards in 1995 to form the Cacique Awards.

Now, the awards are designed to recognise hotel-specific categories and categories that involve the general public.

THE finalists for the 15th 
Cacique Awards are:

• Transportation

Paul Sydney Lavarity, Bimini, Flight Service Agent

Captain Jack Stuart, Nassau, Mailboat Captain

Captain Eugene Munroe, Nassau, Harbour Pilot

• Human Resources Development

Candace Key, Abaco, Reef Etiquette Brochure

Janelle Cambridge, Nassau, Tourism Studies Teacher

Carolyn Major, Nassau, Hotelier

• Sports, Leisure 
& Events

Andra Charles Smith, Andros, Bonefish Guide

Bonefish Ebbie David, Bimini, Bonefish Guide

Malcolm Spicer, Abaco, Event Planner

• Creative Arts

Jamaal Rolle, Nassau, Artist

Merton Thompson, Andros, Fabric Designer

Maria Govan, Nassau, Filmmaker

• Sustainable 
Tourism

UNEXSO, Grand Bahama, Dive Operator

Candace Key, Abaco, Reef Etiquette Brochure

Bimini Biological Field Station, Bimini, Shark Lab

• Minister’s Award for Hospitality

Arnold Roy Rodgers, Nassau, Hotelier

Elliott Green, Andros, Hotelier

Paul Sydney Lavarity, Bimini, Flight Services Agent

• Employee 
of the Year

Donna Johnson, Housekeeper, British Colonial Hilton

Charlessa Rolle, Guest Services Representative, Wyndham Nassau Resort

Alva Wilbert “Bert” Adderley, Water Activities, Cape Santa Maria Resort

• Supervisor 
of the Year

Sharacha Frazier-McDonald, Guest Services Representative Supervisor, British Colonial Hilton

Renardo Sweeting, Bell, Luggage & Transportation Asst. Manager, Grand Lucayan Resort

Tia Duncombe, Revenue Manager, Comfort Suites

• Manager of 
the Year

Ricardo Brown, Housekeeping & Public Space Director, Atlantis

Lynn O. P. Johnson, Catering and Convention Services, Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort

Mark Rolle, Property Services Directo, British Colonial Hilton

• Sales Supervisor of the Year

Shantillya C. Sands, Director of Sales, Comfort Suites

Desiree Moxey, Catering & Convention Services Director, Wyndham Nassau Resort

• Chef of the Year

Elijah Bowe, Chef, Graycliff Restaurant

Devin Johnson, Executive Sous Chef, Sheraton Nassau Resort

Cheryl McKenzie, Executive Sous Chef, British Colonial Hilton

• People’s Choice Music Awards

Gospel

Terrence Forbes, Caribbean Medley

Adrian Edgecombe and Harvest Generation, Overcomer (Israel’s Song)

Terez Davis, Let Us Sing Hallelujah

Secular

Dillion McKenzie, Da Gaulin Song

Dillon McKenzie, Dog Don’t Bark at Parked Car

Puzzle, Jobless