It's festival queen time again

Five of St Mary's most cultured and beautiful young women are set to compete against each other next month to decide who will be chosen to represent the parish at the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition later this year in Kingston.

Speaking after the sashing of the contestants at the Civic Centre in Port Maria last week, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) organiser for St Mary, Denese Morrison, said the contest aims to encourage women between the ages of 18 and 25 years old to engage in cultural and community-based projects, both at the local and national levels.

She told Rural Xpress: "We use the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition to groom young ladies who are culturally aware. It's basically a training platform where we teach them lots of things, including deportment, how to walk, and dining etiquette.

"It's all about self-development so even though there can only be one winner, every contestant who completes the programme benefits, based on the training they have received.

"This evening, we're doing the sashing event, which is a prelude to the coronation on May 2, and whoever emerges as the winner of that will represent the parish at the national show which will be held in July."

highlights of Independence celebrations

The pageant, which began in 1963 as Miss Jamaica Beauty Contest and runs this year under the theme 'Proud and Free...Jamaica 53' is organised by the JCDC and has become one of the highlights of the country's annual Independence celebrations.

According to Meca Plunkett of the St Mary Festival Queen Committee, the contest targets talented young females across the island in an attempt to stimulate them and create an awareness of the contribution they can make to their nation and communities.

She said: "The programme provides personal development, showcases contestants' talents and develops their leadership qualities. Over the years, the contest has grown to become the premier forum for intelligent, culturally aware, and poised young ladies seeking a platform for their contribution to nation building.

"The contestants' desire to assist in the development of their communities plays an important role in the selection process as the winner is expected to be a national ambassador and an outstanding role model for other young women," she said.

"As such, although the queen's physical appearance plays a role in her selection, the emphasis will be on her community involvement, personality, talents, and awareness of cultural and current affairs. The goal is to enable the selection of a Miss Jamaica Festival Queen who will be qualified to act as cultural ambassador for the country, locally and internationally, and who would be an outstanding role model by virtue of her tangible contribution to the developments of the nation during and beyond the period of her reign."