Beach Hotel yesterday.

American Jean-Paul Horst will take over as general manager of the Paget resort on Monday.

Mr. Horst, 54, is married to a Bermudian and currently runs a consulting firm in Dallas. He has previously managed hotels in central America, the US and Canada, and has also lectured in hospitality.

Stonington Board chairman Randy Horton said Mr. Horst, out of all the eight candidates, had the broad experience in education and hotel management to bring the hotel and Bermuda College together.

"We are really excited because we want to see Stonington starting to provide leadership in the hospitality industry together with the college,'' he said.

Mr. Horst takes over after the resignation of Esan Frederick in December last year. In the meantime, consultant Leon O'Brien has been in charge. He was brought in to prepare a five year plan to turn the fortunes of the facility around.

Mr. O'Brien will stay on for a while. Eight people applied for the post, of which two were non-Bermudian.

Mr. Horton said the hope was that a strong assistant manager would be appointed.

He said the successful candidate also had the experience to be able to turn the finances of the hotel around, whilst re-establishing its focus as a premier training facility.

But the appointment has already caused upset, with one tourism veteran questioning the example set by the Stonington Board in selecting an expatriate for the position.

Visitor Industry Partnership volunteer Jenefer Brimmer said it was not a good model for encouraging young people into the hospitality industry -- particularly at the hotel that is supposed to be training the next crop of Bermudian hospitality managers.

Mrs. Brimmer, who has worked in management positions at Elbow Beach, Sonesta and for the Department of Tourism in the US, said the hotel board should come clean on why a non-Bermudian was given the job.

"I believe there are Bermudians who can do that role and if they weren't up to snuff they could have worked with a mentor until they got to that level,'' she said.

"It is the people's hotel. We should be producing managers from every level.

When tourists come to Bermuda they come for Bermudian hospitality.'' TOURISM TOU