The RIU Hotels and Resorts hospitality chain last week honoured 25 employees who have been with the company since it opened its first property in Jamaica 21 years ago, during its 25th anniversary celebration at the RIU Montego Bay Hotel, in St James.

The awardees, whose journey with the Spanish-owned company began with the opening of the RIU Palace Tropical Bay property in Negril, Westmoreland, were honoured on Thursday in the presence of dignitaries such as Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, and Jose Maria Fernandez Lopez de Turiso, Spain’s ambassador to Jamaica.

Carlington Pryce, the public relations manager for Riu Ocho Rios and one of the 25 awardees, told The Gleaner that he was pleased to have had his contributions publicly recognised, particularly since he had worked at RIU’s first two hotels, Riu Palace Tropical Bay and Riu Negril.