Belizean is Caribbean Hotel Employee of the Year

If the name Maskall sounds familiar on this newscast, it’s because who could forget our favourite Karaoke king, Louis Maskall. But hold on… Louis, it turns out, is not the only award winner in the Maskall family…as News 5’s Jacqueline Woods discovered this morning.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting

On June twenty-fifth, twenty-two year old Patricia Maskall became the first Belizean woman to receive the Employee of the year Award from the Caribbean Hotel Association and American Express.

Patricia Maskall, 2003 Employee of the Year

“Honestly, no I didn’t expect to win. Even up to the actual event, like half hour before the actual event, I had no idea that I was the winner. So when I heard my name announced, I was all excited, I yell, I scream and everybody heard me throughout the entire building. I was very excited to know about it though.”

But her boss, Maria Otero, the Chief Executive Director at the Radisson Fort George Hotel, had received the good news about a month and half ago…and somehow managed to keep it a secret until the night of the award.

Maria Otero, C.E.O., Radisson Fort George Hotel

“We just told her that she was a finalist and basically I told the human resources person that we will not tell anybody else…and that was it.”

Three years ago Maskall started working at the Hotel, but in that short period of time her employer and co-workers quickly realized that she was not only committed to the job, but could be called on to assist at any time in need.

Maria Otero

“I think she has done this by being responsible in the sense that she shows up to work on time, when you teach her something, she learns it the first time, you don’t have to be behind her. She is responsible, she is friendly, she is a team player and I think that pretty much has done it.”

In today’s high-pressure workplace, where competition between employees can be fierce, Maskall has been far more comfortable with helping out her co-workers than trying to score points with the boss.

Patricia Maskall

“Basically, I believe that team work plays a very important role. Knowing that we have other employees that you know they can rely on, I am the type of the person that if I know something I could just share it with somebody else, so in the event that I am not present at work at least there is somebody else that knows the information and that could assist the guests because we wouldn’t want the guests to suffer you know for somebody being absent.”

Maskall says she believes having ten brothers and sisters has not only helped her to be disciplined, but has taught her how to work with others. Today, while she has no intention of leaving her job anytime soon, she cannot see herself working anywhere but the hotel and tourism industry.

Patricia Maskall

“I hope this won’t be the end and I hope that I will continue to bring more people to Belize and have them know what it’s all about and continue to encourage everybody in the hotel industry to be a positive light and do your best in whatever it is that you’re doing.”

Maskall won an all expense paid trip for two to the Dominica Republic, along with four hundred U.S. dollars in spending money. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.

Again, congratulations to Pat and the entire staff at the Radisson for their accomplishment.