Who Will It Be?

The 2016 TSEA awardees
The 2016 TSEA awardees

As we count down to the Tourism Service Excellence Awards (TSEA) ceremony, “Who will it be?” is probably the question on the minds of our soon to be announced semi-finalists, who, on Saturday March 17 2018 will know if they will stand under the spotlight, and hold their award for all to see.

Mind you, the team behind the programme, while it is a tedious and sometimes frustrating process, ensures that only those in adherence of the rules of the programme, and those that fit the criteria gain the chance to be lauded for the excellent customer service they continually provide.

In a conversation with an elderly lady last week, she emotionally recounted a story of walking down a hill with her beautiful bunch of bananas. She missed her step and fell on her left knee. The most surprising part of the story was that she did not turn back to go home and attend to her knee. She took up her bunch of bananas and hobbled to her destination, because, according to her many persons look forward to her golden and tasty bananas every day.

This does not mean we should see danger and walk straight into it, but it shows that some people are so determined and kind hearted that they will go to the ends of the earth to help others, that, I must say is truly admirable. And while our stories of hard work and determination may not sound like this lady’s, we have all had that moment when we extended our shifts because someone needed our help, or along with our own duties, we took on a staff member’s responsibilities because they were ill or could not make it to work. All these sacrifices are in the game of success.

If we really think about it, when we help others, we help ourselves to become greater, because we get to learn about our duties, which help us to excel. We help the organization for which we work, and the organization contributes to the improvement of our communities, parishes and by extension our country. This comes full circle and we receive our piece of the pie.

Like the elderly and brave lady, when you fall, brush yourself off and keep going, there is indeed something great in store for you.
We wish our semi-finalists the best and encourage all our service provides to keep aiming for the top.
I leave with you a saying that I’ve held close to my heart since a child, I hope it provides motivation for you as you maneuver this journey called life:
“The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward through the night.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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