Janet Silvera, Gleaner WriterPuerto Rico:
THE FOOD was wonderful, the music said get up and get on bad, but nothing said more than the history-making females at the 2004 Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) Hotelier of the Year Dinner and President's Inauguration.
Girl-power took centre stage last Wednesday, and the ballroom at the Wyndham El Conquistador in Puerto Rico laid claim to being the place where the charismatic Berthia Parle crossed the bridge connecting the past to the present becoming the first female to lead the male dominated CHA in its 42 years of existence.
Berthia's inauguration signalled a new dawn in Caribbean tourism, and she had no problem sharing the limelight with three female powerhouses.
Sally Gaskins of the Bahamas, Pastry Chef of the Year, Alex Ballin of Anguilla, Bartender of the Year, and Executive Chef, Tricia Corbin, leader of the Trinidad and Tobago Culinary Team that received the Highest Scoring Team, award in the Taste of the Caribbean Competition.
THE 'RIGHT GOWN'
The CHA head honcho, Parle, a St. Lucian by birth and a champion of the people, spent three months selecting the right gown for the historic occasion. When she walked on stage, four deep splits accompanied her fabulously sexy blue/green dress. Within minutes the seat of power was passed on by outgoing president, Simon Suarez, and in 20 minutes the dynamic woman presented a mind blowing, thought provoking message to the region.
"While we in the Caribbean have always promoted the region for its laid-back atmosphere, we cannot afford the luxury of a laid back mentality," she said.
