The Ministry of Tourism will launch its Tourism Ambassador Programme during the current Independence celebrations, an initiative aimed at honouring Antiguan and Barbudan natives or descendants who have received worldwide acclaim.
This year’s award will go to actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste, a proud Antigua and Barbuda descendant. Best known for her current role in the CBS hit drama series Without A Trace, Jean-Baptiste portrayed FBI agent Vivian Johnson.
Each year an individual will be recognised for his/her accomplishments and will be inducted as an official Tourism Partner, empowered by the ministry to market Antigua and Barbuda as one of the “Caribbean’s Preferred Destinations”.
Among the many accomplishments of this year’s awardee are an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and British Academy Awards nominations for her feature film debut role in the movie Secret and Lies. Marianne is the only Antiguan and Barbudan descendant or national, to ever receive these three prestigious film awards for a single movie.
Her other film credits include The Cell opposite Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Lopez, 28 Days opposite Sandra Bullock and Spy Games opposite Robert Redford.
A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, this actress, writer and composer wrote the score for Mike Leigh’s feature film Career Girls and has written and performed with British jazz musicians, including Jason Robello, for whom she wrote and recorded four tracks on his album “Keeping Time”.
Derede Samuel-Whitlock, director of tourism in the US indicated, “We are on a quest to identify and recruit Antiguan and Barbudan nationals and descendants who are in the spotlight, particularly those who are in our major source markets and have an audience and platform that can be used to promote the destination. Jean-Baptiste is very excited about becoming one of our tourism partners and help get Antigua and Barbuda in the spotlight and also within the entertainment grapevine.”
Jean-Baptiste is the daughter of Antiguan native Drucilla Cummings who was born in the village of Jennings. Cummings migrated to England where she met and married St. Lucian immigrant Felix Jean-Baptiste. Together they had four children, Marianne being the youngest.Marianne Jean Baptise will be one of the "guests of honor" at this year’s Independence Gala where she will be presented with the award by Minister of Tourism Harold Lovell. The event will be held on Thursday evening at the newly-opened Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa.
Each year an individual will be recognised for his/her accomplishments and will be inducted as an official Tourism Partner, empowered by the ministry to market Antigua and Barbuda as one of the “Caribbean’s Preferred Destinations”.
Among the many accomplishments of this year’s awardee are an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and British Academy Awards nominations for her feature film debut role in the movie Secret and Lies. Marianne is the only Antiguan and Barbudan descendant or national, to ever receive these three prestigious film awards for a single movie.
Her other film credits include The Cell opposite Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Lopez, 28 Days opposite Sandra Bullock and Spy Games opposite Robert Redford.
A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, this actress, writer and composer wrote the score for Mike Leigh’s feature film Career Girls and has written and performed with British jazz musicians, including Jason Robello, for whom she wrote and recorded four tracks on his album “Keeping Time”.
Derede Samuel-Whitlock, director of tourism in the US indicated, “We are on a quest to identify and recruit Antiguan and Barbudan nationals and descendants who are in the spotlight, particularly those who are in our major source markets and have an audience and platform that can be used to promote the destination. Jean-Baptiste is very excited about becoming one of our tourism partners and help get Antigua and Barbuda in the spotlight and also within the entertainment grapevine.”
Jean-Baptiste is the daughter of Antiguan native Drucilla Cummings who was born in the village of Jennings. Cummings migrated to England where she met and married St. Lucian immigrant Felix Jean-Baptiste. Together they had four children, Marianne being the youngest.Marianne Jean Baptise will be one of the "guests of honor" at this year’s Independence Gala where she will be presented with the award by Minister of Tourism Harold Lovell. The event will be held on Thursday evening at the newly-opened Sandals Grande Antigua Resort and Spa.
Post a Comment