St. Ann to Select Festival Queen May 12

Plans are in high gear for the staging of the Miss St. Ann Festival Queen Competition on May 12, so that a parish representative can be selected to participate in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) National Festival Queen Contest.
Cultural Organizer for the JCDC in St. Ann, Wentlin Mantle told JIS News that the competition is geared towards developing and showcasing the best of Jamaica’s culture, adding that eight young women from the parish were participating in the event.
The main thrust of the programme, he said, was to get participants to realize their true potential in making a contribution to their community and the wider society, while striving to achieve their personal goals.
“The young ladies are now undergoing training for the competition,” Mr. Mantle said, noting that aspects of the training involved speech, drama, dance, cultural awareness and personal development, among others.
He informed that the crowning of the St. Ann JCDC Festival Queen would be held at the Crane Ridge Resort in Ocho Rios, and that the winner would then represent the parish at the National Festival Queen Contest, which would be held in Kingston on July 14.
“We are hoping that this year will be our successful year and a wonderful year for the garden parish and that we will bring home the crown to St. Ann,” he said.
Highlighting some of the sponsors of the event, Mr. Mantle said they included private sector entities, such as the Crane Ridge Resort, Ocho Rios Pharmacy, Atlas Security, Peg’s Hardware, Beauty Statement, Healthy Way and Sigma School of Nursing. He thanked them for their contribution towards the venture. “I am appealing to the residents of St. Ann to come out and support the show, which begins 8:00 p.m. It is going to be a very wonderful event,” he said.
The JCDC National Festival Queen Competition is aimed at exposing intelligent, culturally aware and talented young women with strong leadership qualities, who are involved in their community, through voluntary work.
The national winner will become the Cultural Ambassador for Jamaica and will reign for one year.