Sandals Late Founder Bestowed With Prestigious Saint Lucia Cross Award
The Hon. Mr. Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart OJ, CD, Hon. LLD, has been honored with the Government of Saint Lucia’s third highest honor, the Saint Lucia Cross (SLC) Award.
The announcement was made as the Caribbean nation marked its 42nd Anniversary of Independence on February 22nd, 2021 and will be officially presented on Sunday, March 7th, 2021.
The late founder was lauded for distinguished service in the field of tourism, entrepreneurship and philanthropy, and is among only ten other recipients to receive the distinguished honor since its inception in 2005.
In accepting the award on his late Father, Adam Stewart CD, the Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International, expressed his deep appreciation and thanks to the Governor General, Prime Minister and people of Saint Lucia, and said his family was very humbled to accept the award. “My dad has held a special love for Saint Lucia and its people for almost three decades, since he first came here. We are extremely grateful to the people of Saint Lucia for recognizing the contribution he has made to the development of the island and I know he would be extremely proud to have received such an honor. But I also know that the investment he made in Saint Lucia was always a labor of love, and that it was his privilege in contributing to making Saint Lucia one of the most sought-after holiday destinations in the world, and I wish to assure all our incredible team members as well as the entire country that
Sandals will continue to be a strong partner into the future and will continue to do all we can to ensure Saint Lucia’s tourism sector remains a strong and vibrant one.”
Sandals Resorts International opened its first hotel in Saint Lucia; the Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort and Spa some 28 years ago, and now has three resorts in Saint Lucia with the addition of Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort and Spa, and the Sandals Grande St. Lucian Beach Resort and Spa. The resort company has also completed work on the new 18-hole Greg Norman-designed Sandals Golf and Country Club at Cap Estate.
Today, Sandals® stands as Saint Lucia’s largest hotel company and leading private sector employer. In commenting on the passing of the late Sandals Chairman in January, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, the Hon. Allen Chastanet noted, “Thousands of persons in this region have jobs and careers because of ‘Butch’ Stewart, the world knows more about the Caribbean and Saint Lucia because of ‘Butch’ Stewart, our tourism product is surviving in spite of COVID in large measure because of ‘Butch Stewart’ and the Caribbean tourism industry is as strong as it is today because of ‘Butch’ Stewart.”
