Vernal Sands - Lifetime Achievement Award
Vernal Sands – Goodwill Ambassador, “Top of the morning to you” when a visitor or Bahamian hears this line, he knows that the venerable Vernal Sands is in the room.

Denis Donaldson - Lifetime Achievement Award
Denis Wesley Donaldson is a Bahamian musical legend. Known by today's audiences as the man with the big band sound, Mr. Donaldson's portfolio spans jazz, classics, goombay, calypso, swing, rhythm and blues and Broadway tunes. In a heartbeat, Donaldson can switch from Stompin' at the Savoy to Mozart’s Piano Concerto in F.

Genevieve Sherman-Ware - Lifetime Achievement Award
Genevieve Sherman better known to Bahamians and the world alike as Abbie Lafleur was born in Conch Sound, Andros to John and Effie Lafleur Sherman. She was the third of sixteen children born to this union. At the age of eleven, Abbie relocated to New Providence to further her education at the Western Junior and Wesley Schools.

2000 Cacique Lifetime Achievement Recipient [A]

Vernal Sands – Goodwill Ambassador, “Top of the morning to you” when a visitor or Bahamian hears this line, he knows that the venerable Vernal Sands is in the room.

Recognized around the world for his flamboyant coats and extensive bow-tie collection, Vernal Sands is The Bahamas' Goodwill Ambassador whose number one goal is to make guests happy. Mr. Sands is a second-generation hospitality worker who learnt well the lessons of giving good service from his mother.

As a young boy he accompanied his mother to work, which allowed him to interact with the winter tourists who stayed at the Emerald Beach Hotel. At the age of twelve, he got a job as a towel boy - picking up towels off the beach at Paradise Island. From the beach, Sands worked his way up to the dining room, first as a busboy, later an apprentice waiter, captain and eventually becoming the first Bahamian maitre'd at Villa d'Este on Paradise Island.

In 1983, when the Cable Beach Hotel opened, Sands was appointed Assistant Director of Food and Beverage. His magnetic personality caused many of his visitor friends to follow him from Paradise Island to Cable Beach. Over the years, he has exchanged birthday cards, anniversary notes, golf victories, and birth celebrations with thousands of visitors.

Sands' career spans 40 years, the last 17 at the Crystal Palace under different owners.  The man with the beaming smile and booming voice is the human personification of a word we all use too liberally, “hospitality”. His smile, his warmth, his joy at making people feel at home in a foreign place, making them want to come back time and time again, are what hospitality is all about.

Hospitality has garnered Vernal many awards including the National Tourism Achievement Award, precursor to the Cacique Awards, and letters of commendation from the former Prime Minister, Sir Lynden Pindling and Governor-General, Sir Orville Turnquest.

Along with Vernal's awards, he has been successful in attracting a myriad of fans, including Robert Ludlum, author, Regis Phelbin, talk show host; Huey Lewis of Huey Lewis and the News, Muhammad Ali, legendary boxer; Michael ' Sweet Bells' Thompson, basketball star and John Travolta, actor.

2000 Cacique Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient [B] 

Denis Wesley Donaldson is a Bahamian musical legend. Known by today's audiences as the man with the big band sound, Mr. Donaldson's portfolio spans jazz, classics, goombay, calypso, swing, rhythm and blues and Broadway tunes. In a heartbeat, Donaldson can switch from Stompin' at the Savoy to Mozart’s Piano Concerto in F.

Denis' appreciation for music was cultivated at an early age by his parents the late Reverend Dr. Timothy and Mildred Donaldson. Music was a family affair and Denis and his five siblings were involved in concerts and entertaining guests at home.

Mr. Donaldson's contributions to tourism and The Bahamas began fifty-two years ago. During these years he performed for audiences at the: Emerald Beach, Royal Victoria, Prince George, Montagu and British Colonial hotels; the Conch Shell Club, Drumbeat, Chez Paul Meeres, Dirty Dick's and Charlie Charlie's La Fin.

Donaldson, whose talents include playing double bass, cello and saxophone, has played with the world's best over the years including Count Basie, Billy Eckstine, Brooke Benton and Roy Hamilton.

One would think that with his accomplishment in music Donaldson had very little time for anything else. Donaldson is proof that a person can be both a jack and a master of several trades. Denis simultaneously served in the Civil Service from 1948 to 1990. He started at the Telecommunications Department (now Batelco) in the Audit Department and held other senior positions at the Public Treasury, Ministry of Works and Utilities and the Bahamas Government Hot-Mix Plant.

This versatile gentleman is still in demand although he has given up his day job. In 1997, Denis assembled a 14-piece orchestra - the Denis Donaldson Orchestra conducted by Edwin "Apple" Elliott which performed at the Radisson Cable Beach Hotel, the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC) and numerous balls and fashion shows.

Most of the music performed by Denis has been his own original compositions. Recently, Donaldson has focused on arranging music for the National Youth Orchestra, The Bahamas Concert Orchestra and special events such as the D.A.N.S.A. awards, the Pilot Club's Ebony Fashion Show and The Cacique Awards.

2000 Cacique Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient [C]

Genevieve Sherman better known to Bahamians and the world alike as Abbie Lafleur was born in Conch Sound, Andros to John and Effie Lafleur Sherman. She was the third of sixteen children born to this union. At the age of eleven, Abbie relocated to New Providence to further her education at the Western Junior and Wesley Schools.

In the early 40's, the ambitious young lady left The Bahamas for London, England to pursue a career as a Fashion Designer. She however, discovered her talent as a dancer and entertainer and started on a path that would put The Bahamas on the European map.

Abbie's career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s on the European stage, catching the eyes of some prominent figures including Lady Ulic Brown, first cousin to Queen Elizabeth's father, King George and famed Trinidadian Band Leader, Edmundo Ross.  Ross, a partner in the Brown and Ross Entertainers Agency scouted Abbie for the Stock Room Club, Piccadilly Circle. Her connection with this agency afforded her the opportunity to train at the prestigious Buddy Bradley School of Dancing in London.

This effervescent lady has captivated audiences with her performances and accumulated many firsts as a Bahamian. These notable firsts included performing at the Royal Albert Hall before the then their Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh and a two-year stint on the British Broadcasting Show "Cool Cats".

Abbie's talent has been her ticket to the world. She has performed in Italy, Portugal, Spain, Germany, France, Iceland, Denmark, Norway and Sierra Leone.

In 1965, Abbie returned to The Bahamas where she worked and performed at the Nassau Beach Hotel, The Cat & Fiddle and the British Colonial Hotel. In later years she was employed with Bahamas Airways, Quantas Air, BOAC and eventually Bahamasair.

Abbie proved to be a phenomenal woman beginning her third career in the 1970s as a Bi-lingual Tourist Information Assistant stationed at the Nassau International Airport.

Being true to her heart, Abbie, along with Franklyn "Count Bernardino" Ellis, enlisted the support of others to produce Goombay Summer, a Ministry of Tourism programme which employed entertainers to perform on Bay Street. The once-a-week activity was a hit with tourists and residents.

The stage called Abbie in 1980 when she vied for the first crown and title of the Mrs. Bahamas Beauty Pageant.

Although retired from the Ministry of Tourism in 1990, Abbie's energy has not diminished. She has accelerated her social activism donating her time to the Children's Emergency Hostel, the Red Cross and the Carmichael and Adelaide communities. Her generosity has been rewarded with numerous community awards including the National Tourism Achievement Award.

2000 Winners

Dwight Caleb Thurston - Retail

Harl Taylor - Arts & Crafts

Karen Carey - Human Resources/Education

Diana Thompson - Minister’s Award

Pedro Davis - Supervisor of the Year

Jacklyn Gurrier - Manager of the Year

Hedda Smith - Sales Executive of the Year

Lincoln Hercules - Casino Executive of the Year

Rondell Dames - Employee of the Year

Iris Dillet-Knowles - Hotelier of the Year

Hadley Forbes - Transportation

Joseph Cleare - Sports & Leisure

Erika Moultrie-Gates - Nature Tourism

Ashley Saunders - Writer

Wendall Cleare - Motion and/or Still Photography

Errol "Duke" Strachan - Music & Entertainment

Antonius Roberts - The Arts

Small Hope Bay Lodge - Company or Group

2000 International Winners

Felicity Long
International Writer (Trade)
Travel Weekly, (Norwell, Massachusetts)

Charles Greenfield 
International Writer (Consumer)
Coral Gables Gazette, (Miami, Florida)

Al Roker Productions, 
International Photographer, New York

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
Cruise Line

Discovery Cruise Line
Cruise Ferry

Grand Bahama Vacations 
Tour Operator

Gayle Naugler 
International Travel Agent

Travelfaire
(Dunwoody, Georgia)