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St. Lucian Assumes Presidency of Caribbean Hotel Association

Berthia M. Parle, MBE President of Caribbean Hotel Association

Berthia M. Parle, general manager of the Bay Gardens Hotel and the Bay Gardens Inn in St. Lucia, took over the reins of the Caribbean Hotel Association on June 18, 2004, during a special closing gala at the annual Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC) in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

This is the first time a woman has risen to the presidency of the regional organization. 

Upon assuming the post, Mrs. Parle announced the members of her slate of officers and appointed regional vice presidents:

• Peter Odle, Mango Bay Resorts, Barbados - First Vice President;

• Allen Chastanet, Coco Kréole, St. Lucia - Second Vice President;

• Jeremy MacVean, Comfort Suites Paradise Island, Bahamas - Third Vice President;

• Richard Doumeng, Bolongo Bay Beach Club, St. Thomas, USVI - Fourth Vice President;

• Peter Webster, Hilton Curaçao, Curaçao - Fifth Vice President;

• Jag Mehta, SuperClubs, Jamaica - Treasurer;

• Cheryl Hugues, Paradise Cove, Anguilla, Regional Vice President;

• Enrique de Marchena, Sun Village, Dominican Republic, Regional Vice President;

• Emmanuel Schreibmaier, Sol Meliá Group, Regional Vice President;

• John Lynch, Sandals, Regional Vice President;

• Joan Lamanna, Hyatt Resorts, Regional Vice President;

In her first remarks as CHA President, Mrs. Parle stressed her intention to focus, with her team of volunteer leaders, on some of the key interventions that need to be undertaken from the perspective of the private sector, to support the competitiveness, sustainability and managed growth of the region's tourism industry into the medium and long term. 

"Our industry is the platform for our regional economy, at present and into the foreseeable future, and during my tenure I will concentrate on establishing creative and lasting partnerships with the several regional and international bodies based in the Caribbean in particular, to ensure that we consolidate and achieve maximum economic opportunity in tourism, moving forward," she said.

Some of the priorities that the new regional President will address are advocacy and stronger relationships with the cruise and public sectors.

In the area of advocacy, the CHA president called on the Caribbean hotel sector to seek to transform the negative perceptions of our industry by showcasing best practices and pushing the envelope of corporate social responsibility to new limits.

"This is not to be a self-serving public relations exercise," she warned. "We need to do much more to promote our own social programs; otherwise we run the risk of being taken for granted for the good that we do. And this will only serve to fuel the perception that we are not doing enough."

On the issue of private-public sector cooperation, she pointed out that the Caribbean tourism private sector must work very closely with all partners in the public sector, who are ultimately challenged with the responsibility of managing the industry and the economies.

The CHA President also stated that she would seek to ensure that at least once a year, CARICOM Heads of Government and Ministers and Directors of Tourism meet with the tourism private sector to discuss, confront and resolve the issues, challenges and needs of this industry.

Call to Arms

Mrs. Parle ended her speech with a strong appeal to the members of the CHA, reminding them that her tenure will only be as effective as they allow it to be. "I have no wish to preside over an organization, where members are passive and asleep at the wheel," she told members.

"We all need to stand up and be counted. We must be proactive in laying the foundation for positive change through constructive networking, dialogue and action, and be prepared to put out the resources required to be at the forefront of the change process," she concluded.

Parle, a 30-year hospitality veteran is the General Manager of the successful Bay Gardens Hotel and Bay Gardens Inn in St. Lucia. Together with her husband and her management team, they run a facility, which is a market leader in the small hotel sector, used as a model by lending institutions as a hotel that exemplifies the highest standards of service, excellence and profitability. As a result, Bay Gardens enjoys average occupancies of 80% and has gained the reputation as one of the foremost small hotels in the Caribbean region.

Mrs. Parle is considered St. Lucia's foremost small hotelier. Her contribution to the hotel sector and tourism is well documented and her dedication, commitment and professionalism are greatly admired by her peers in the industry. Her energy and enthusiasm are some of her signature qualities, which she brought to her tenures as President of the St. Lucia Hotel & Tourism Association, Director and Officer of the CHA, and Chairman of the CHA Small Hotels Committee.

Mrs. Parle was the recipient of Caribbean Hotelier of the Year Award in 2003 and was named 'One of the Most Powerful Women in Travel' by Travel Agent Magazine.

She has held several positions in the hotel industry in Bermuda and Germany. Whilst living in Bermuda, she also lectured at the Training Hotel, Stonington Beach.

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