 The Jimmy goes too, the Jimmy goes too, and the Jimmy goes too. The St. Lucia Tourism Awards, The Jimmy's, made its debut on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, birthing a new era of celebrating and acknowledging excellence, innovation, and a distinction within the hospitality industry. Hospitality contributors from all parts of the sector gathered in one space to extol the hard work and dedication of their peers, contemporaries, and colleagues. My name is Ali, and I won the Jimmy's Award for Independent Restaurant Employee of the Year. As you can see, the trophy is pretty heavy. To be quite honest, I've been in the industry for a little bit of time, and winning the award was a whole new experience. It was kind of very uplifting. You know, like if you've been in a job for such a long time, and now that you're really like working on something, and then you get the appreciation, you know, you know, it's not just the guest or just your peers or, you know, the teammates, an actual award that says you've done well. Since I won the award, more or less, you know, I mean, people they come by and they say, yeah, I saw, and like, you know, you've been doing good, and yeah, it's a good feeling, it's a good feeling. Named after Mount Jimmy, the highest peak in the country, standing at an elevation of 3,120 feet, the Jimmy's is synonymous with reaching new heights, the pinnacle of excellence. The actual award design, which depicts the Jimmy's, was conceptualized and created by world-renowned sculptor, designer, and son of the soil, Jaleem Yudovic. The Jimmy's Award scheme captures a diverse landscape of St. Lucia's hospitality industry, awarding organizations, employees, independent operators, and unsung heroes under the category of special awards and recognition. My name is Andrew Mondezi. My business name is La Emodesia. The Jimmy that I won was for craft and souvenir retailer of the year. Getting the nomination, it was a big thrill. I mean, I'm a small fish in this huge tourism industry, and to be recognized, that was exciting. Winning the award was encouraging. It really gave me the motivation to even improve in my craft, improve in my service. The actual prizes, I'm very appreciative for the prizes because I've already implemented them into my business and I'm already seeing the benefits. One of the prizes was a consultation with a marketing expert, which really helped me to develop my brand, develop my logo, and I could really see this going forward and helping me improve my service in the tourism industry here in St. Lucia. In any field, an award really encourages the participants to reach out for something better. It also helps them to feel appreciated in their fields. The Jimmy's, in particular, one thing that really encouraged me to reach out for this award was the Jimmy itself. It's a beautiful work of art by Jale Mudevik and just having a piece of Jale's art really encouraged me to be part of this award. The Ministry of Tourism-led Initiative, the Jimmy's, was developed to serve as an opportunity to set new benchmarks of excellence, recognize the best in the industry, and reflect on their indelible contribution which drives the sector. In collaboration with St. Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association, SLHTA, and the St. Lucia Tourism Authority, SLTA, the Ministry of Tourism uses the Jimmy's to show why St. Lucia is known worldwide as a destination of choice. Dear ST members of the tourism community, we are delighted to extend a warm welcome to you as we kick off the call for nominations for the highly anticipated 2024 St. Lucia Tourism Awards. This prestigious event is a celebration of excellence, innovation, and dedication within our vibrant tourism industry. In line with our commitment to recognizing outstanding contributions and fostering growth, this year brings exciting updates. We are introducing new award categories to ensure more of our outstanding operators get their recognition they deserve. Continuing on the global momentum, and in aligning the theme of the 2023 World Tourism Day Tourism and Green Investments, we are placing a special focus on sustainable practices and eco-friendly innovations. This theme underscores our collective responsibility to promote tourism that not only captivates but also preserves the beauty of our beloved St. Lucia. In our quest to ensure St. Lucia continues its reign as a Caribbean-leading honeymoon, nature, and adventure destination, we solicit the support of all industry stakeholders in this journey of selecting the new crop of Jimmy's winners, whose dedication we are eager to celebrate. Thank you for your unwavering dedication to making St. Lucia a premier destination. We look forward to all your nominations. As a nation, let's celebrate an industry, the people and organizations that form part of the social and economic fabric of St. Lucia. The countdown to the Jimmy's 2024 begins now. Get on the road to Jimmy's 2024.