The awards consist of 17 categories and this year we are only accepting four nominees per award, which means 68 individuals or organizations, will be recognized and valued for the work they have accomplished over the years. The organizing committee is calling out to the community of St. Maarten to nominate early. Individuals, who have been nominated in previous years, can be nominated again. "We ask you to please write why you would like to nominate the particular individual". "Let the person or organization shine. This, in combination with the results of the voting, is the deciding factor" says Valya Pantophlet, lead organizer of the Crystal Pineapple Awards.
This year there are three new awards: Elementary Teacher of the Year, Secondary School Teacher of the Year and Made in St. Maarten award, which recognizes individuals or organizations who have contributed to the tourism industry by producing unique and authentic art work, jewelry, liquors, etc on St. Maarten. There are also some changes with existing awards, namely: the Outstanding Community Service Achievement Award which was divided into separate awards for individuals and organizations, will now be one category . Small and Large Hoteliers of the Year Awards have also been combined, and lastly we have opened back up the Journalism Award for nominations and voting. The award winners are chosen based on their contribution to tourism and the community, achievements described in their nomination form as well as the outcome of an online poll. SHTA will once again have the support of Price Waterhouse Coopers for auditing the nominations voting system.
SHTA encourages the community to visit us on Facebook: "Crystal Pineapple Awards" and stay up to date on the latest updates.
For more information, please contact the SHTA office: 542-0108, e-mail:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..