NEW YORK (March 13)– You know immediately when you meet a remarkable human being, and so it is that I pause to pay tribute to an accomplished woman who I met only once.
I did not know Veronica St. Louis of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) U.K. office very well, but I was impressed with her commitment to the Caribbean while working with her at the World Travel Market (WTM) exhibition in London last November.
It was such a delight to spend time with St. Louis and the CTO’s team during this meeting, and I was impressed with how coolly, calmly and collectedly this lady of Grenadian ancestry handled her very busy assignments leading up to and during one of the world’s busiest and most complex meetings.
St. Louis was thoroughly efficient in the way she coordinated WTM itineraries and arrangements, and her passion and unquestionable commitment to the work of the Caribbean will be long remembered and honored.
In a statement, the CTO expressed its sadness at her passing after a brief illness. “Her passing comes as a huge shock and a great loss to all of us who knew Veronica. In the years since she joined the CTO family in 1990, Veronica has been a loyal employee, a dedicated professional, a skilled organizer and an asset to the Caribbean tourism industry. Her passing will leave an enormous void in our lives,” the statement read.
It continued: “The many CTO members and partners with whom Veronica worked at World Travel Market, ITB, Vakantiebeurs and the many other events in the U.K. and Europe, will remember the ease with which she assisted and the professionalism she displayed as she sought to meet our members’ and stakeholders’ needs. Many had come to rely upon her quiet demeanor and steadfast support. Our prayers and best wishes go out to her mother, her immediate family and loved ones and the wider Caribbean tourism family that she adopted in her more than 20 years of service.”
I add my amen to those fine remembrances and pray the soul known as Veronica St. Louis rests in peace.