If you're getting him a present, a tie is almost always a safe bet, just be creative. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Freelance Photographer

In July of this year Eldon Bremner received a letter with the words Secret Confidential written on it.

"I was on cloud nine!" he said of its contents. The letter was from the Prime Minister of Jamaica informing him that he had been awarded an Order of Distinction in the rank of officer for service to the hospitality industry in Jamaica.

As happy and as honoured as Bremner felt, he had to keep it a secret until the official announcement was made.

"It was difficult. I was very excited. The fifth of August was my birthday and I had some friends over and I could not tell them. It was so difficult."

Now that the secret is out, the Guyanese national notes that he has to occasionally pinch himself. "It's like I'm being rewarded for a privilege," he told Flair.

Bremner has been the general manager of the Pegasus hotel since 2002, having worked as its financial controller and then deputy general manager since he came to the island in 1984. He previously worked at the Guyana Pegasus.

He notes that his accounting background has served him well in the transition from accounts to operations.

"In operations you get to appreciate where you have to spend and spend wisely. I"m able to now balance finance and operations. For example, if there is upgrading to be done, I would be con-cerned about the cost. The bottom line is to make money for shareholders while keeping guests happy; have to keep everyone happy."

Bremner has travelled the world. He has been to Belgium, Monaco, Malta, London, Barbados, Bermuda, Bahrain, Amsterdam. He also did a six-month stint in Portugal. "In Portugal, only one person in the accounts department knew English. The accounts were in arrears and I had to recruit and train a financial controller. It was extremely difficult."

This wasn't the path Bremner had planned for his career that began in finance. But he has taken it in stride and if he had to do it all over again, he would change only one thing.

"I would learn other languages; Spanish and French. You would get more opportunities to work in other places such as Spain or Sardinia."

Fond of Ties

General Manager of The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, Eldon Bremner. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/ Freelance Photographer

Bremner truly enjoys his job, so living 'at the office' is not as stressful as some would think. "I enjoy what I do so much that that makes it relaxing. Even when I'm upstairs I get restless and come downstairs and walk around to see that everything is OK."

But for the times when he's not downstairs, he may be upstairs playing on his Nintendo Wii that his children bought him for Christmas. "I play golf, tennis and it has yoga on it," he told Flair as we strolled through the Pegasus gardens.

Always immaculately dressed, he's very fond of ties. His tie affair began when his daughter Teisha began getting him cartoon ties. This evolved into theme ties. So if you see him at a golf event, he is likely to be wearing a corresponding tie; he has ties with the flag of almost every country. The only thing missing from his collection is a medical tie, but hey, Christmas is only a few months away.

nashauna.drummond@gleanerjm.com