THE CARIBBEAN HOTEL & TOURISM ASSOCIATION (CHTA) has a new president eight months ahead of schedule.
This unexpected change came following immediate past president Emil Lee’s elevation to the post of Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs in St Maarten.
The CHTA said Lee had “passed the torch” to first vice-president Karolin Troubetzkoy, who will act until the organisation’s board of directors meet in January, when they will vote on ratifying Troubetzkoy’s appointment in advance of her term, which would have begun in June.
Lee, who stepped down from CTHA before being sworn in to his new government position, said he left CHTA “with a heavy heart” but was “proud of the advancements the organisation has made during my tenure and am confident that Karolin Troubetzkoy will perpetuate this momentum going forward in the creation of a new CHTA engaged with the membership”.
“I have worked closely with Emil over the last several months and look forward to continuing the progress and energy he brought to the organisation,” said Troubetzkoy.
Officials explained that CHTA has a strong succession plan in which a president – elect is selected one year prior to taking office, to allow for that individual to become familiar with the organisation’s operations and to be involved in its affairs.
The president then serves a two-year term. In addition, the immediate past president remains engaged as an active consultant to the new president, serving in the role as chairman. Richard Doumeng is the current CHTA chairman and he will continue in this position through to June.
Lee leaves office after serving for more than ten years as a member of the board of directors, including two years as first vice-president and 17 months as president.
During his tenure CHTA had organisational changes and restructured, broadening its membership engagement, strengthening public and private sector ties, and repositioned itself to play an even greater role in facilitating tourism’s role as a socio-economic driver for the region. (SC/PR)
