Montserrat gears up to host major beauty pageant despite volcano
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| Published on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 |
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BRADES, Montserrat: The government of Montserrat says it is ready to host the 2007 Miss Caricom International Pageant later this year on the island.
Organisers of the contest have chosen Montserrat, for the July 21 event.
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| Front row (L-R): Chief Minister Dr Lowell Lewis; Founder of the Miss Caricom International Pageant Monica Sanchez; Miss Caricom International Tiffany Duncan; Miss Antigua and Barbuda 2006/2007 Miss Jamelia Jeffery; Miss Montserrat Festival Queen Techa Cuffy. Back row: local radio broadcaster Basil Chambers, head of the local Miss Caricom International Pageant committee, Chadd Cumberbatch. |
Chief Minister Dr Lowell Lewis says the event will provide Montserrat the opportunity to showcase the island’s new facilities, promote its cultural heritage, tourism products and encourage support for the Government’s efforts to achieve sustainability, despite the challenges with the active Soufriere Hills Volcano.
“This is an event which I expect the Caricom Governments to show solidarity for Montserrat and our fight with the volcano emergency, and I would expect all Prime Ministers or their offices to personally sponsor their national Queens at this pageant. There has already been some indication by some of them, that they will do so and I think it will be a tremendous event for us here on Montserrat," Lewis said.
Founder of the Miss Caricom International Pageant Monica Sanchez spent Sunday 1st April on Montserrat, touring the island and looking at the facilities at the state of the art Cultural Centre at Little Bay, where the 2007 pageant will be held in July.
She was accompanied by the reigning Miss Caricom International Tiffany Duncan from Jamaica, Miss Antigua and Barbuda 2006/2007 Miss Jamelia Jeffery and the reigning Miss Montserrat Festival Queen Techa Cuffy.
Miss Sanchez has called on all residents of Montserrat to support the local organising committee, to ensure the island will benefit greatly as the host country for the pageant.
“The Miss Caricom International Pageant is coming to Montserrat strictly to showcase the island. It’s about Montserrat, its people, their culture, beauty, economic, educational and social issues. This pageant will help to showcase Montserrat to the world and I hope the people of Montserrat can see this as an opportunity to showcase themselves also to the world," she said.
Head of the local Miss Caricom International Pageant committee, Chadd Cumberbatch said: “This is an exciting show and will be the biggest challenge I have ever faced. There’s a lot to be done in a relatively short space of time. However, there are a number of Miss Caricom events that take place around and I want this one to be the best of them all and I will need a lot help and so I will knocking on a lot of doors on Montserrat to get the job done.”
Up to 20 contestants from around the world including Africa, Haiti and Panama are expected to arrive on Montserrat on the Saturday 14th July for the start of the pageant events, which will lead up to the competition on the 21st of July.
Montserrat will be represented by reigning Festival Queen Techa Cuffy.
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