- Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
What a beauty - and she has the title to prove it! Miss Jamaica World 2006 Sara Lawrence won 'Miss Caribbean Queen of Beauty' at the Miss World Pageant, held in Warsaw, Poland, where she also placed in the top six from a complement of 104 contestants.

Kavelle Anglin-Christie, Staff Reporter

Last year's Miss Jamaica World, Terri-Karelle Griffith, is one of the most memorable queens since the early days of the competition. And from all indications, this year's queen, Sara Lawrence, will be stamping her foot in the 'I-just-love-that-queen' mould.

Lawrence, 21 years old (like Griffith), has that bubbly personality, that makes you wonder if she ever has bad days and where you can purchase some of that charisma she has, to face a room of strangers and make them love you. And, of course, there is the intelligence factor that makes you know that beauty with a purpose does exist in these often criticised beauty competitions.

Lawrence, who recently returned from Poland, was crowned Miss World Caribbean. She spoke to The Sunday Gleaner about her journey to being crowned Miss Jamaica World and Miss World Caribbean and her plans for the year.

Sunday Gleaner: Have you found out your official placing as yet?

Sara Lawrence: No, we haven't been given the official results as yet. But I heard through the grapevine that I placed fourth, but nothing official yet.

What are your responsibilities as the Miss World Caribbean Queen?

SL: Well, what I know is very limited. But I am the Miss World in my division and I will be doing fund-raising for the less fortunate and things like that. I will basically be looking for causes and champion them. I haven't signed on to anything as yet. Also if Miss World comes to the Caribbean I will be taking her around and things like that.

What will you be working on for the year?

SL: I am still working on a multitude of options. There are many little ones that I have, but I want to touch on as many areas as possible and combine them. That will be as Miss Jamaica, but as Miss Caribbean the things are kinda given to me, like 'you need to go to St. Lucia and do this' and stuff like that.

Are you disappointed or happy with the outcome and why?

SL: I am ecstatic. I couldn't be any happier. Everything happens for a reason and I am just happy that I was able to push Jamaica so far, from 104 girls to the top six. It is a proud moment for me and I couldn't be happier.

What was it like being in Poland, with no friends really?

SL: It was fine I didn't have a problem. It was like when I went to school abroad; I didn't know anyone there, but you just have to take the initiative and go meet people. Then they started to gravitate toward me as much as I gravitated toward them. First it started with the Caribbean group and then it spread out until we were all friends.

Would you enter the competition for a second time?

SL: No I wouldn't. It is a once- in-a-lifetime opportunity and when I entered the timing was just perfect. Now I have the time and energy, so I entered. But I'm really serious about medical school, so next year I'm going to do that and I really don't think that I could juggle both of them.

Where in Jamaica are you from?

SL: I'm from Kingston. My area really doesn't have a name. I don't live in Havendale or Waterloo, but it's not quite Barbican, so I just tell people Constant Spring (laughing). Yeah.

What kind of family are you from?

SL: We are very close. Not just my immediate family, but my extended family as well. We are very, very, very close... Initially they were not too keen on me entering the competition though, because no one had ever done this from my family. But even though they were not so keen they had to back me because I was already in it, right (laughing)? Right now they are rooting for me and backing me 100 per cent. They are definitely my support system.

What were the reactions of people when you entered the competition?

SL: I can only speak for the people I associate with, like my friends and family, and I was getting lots of positive feedback. For the longest time they were always saying 'you should enter', so I was like 'I really don't have anything to do', so I entered. I entered just trying to do my best... Then some people I didn't know like if they saw me on the road, would be like, 'I want you to win'".

What were the reactions of people when you won?

SL: The people around me were very proud and as for other people, like if they saw me at a plaza, would tell me that they had been rooting for me all along. I have to be realistic, there were 15 very qualified finalists and they had their supporters too, but people were still very supportive and even if there was any negative feedback, no one came to me with it."

How do you feel about being the people's choice in the Miss World competition?

SL: That is an honour, because out of all the girls, to know that people are watching and voting for me, is definitely a humbling experience. I mean, my family and friends can do so much and no more in terms of voting. It's really not something I tried hard to do, so thank God I'm Jamaican, because we are so warm. So that was all there was to it and people from across the region saw that and I am really honoured.

Some people say racism is one of the major reasons many black women do not win the title Miss World. What do you think?

SL: I really don't know about that. I have no concrete evidence, so I try not to think about that. People have come to me here and there and said things, but in the end the judges know what they are looking for - it's their competition, so they are going to choose who they want. I can't change that, so I am satisfied with what I got. I won't be bitter and upset. It was in the hands of the judges and that's the thing when you enter a competition like that; you surrender yourself into other people's hands because it's out of yours. So in the end I don't know if the racism card can be played. I don't feel discriminated against.

Do you have a boyfriend? How does he feel about you being in the competition?

SL: Aaaah (giggling) yes. He was fine with it. He is very supportive in his own way and his family has been very supportive. It is not like this is a new thing. He's been there for a very long time. We're like best friends."

Has anyone compared you to last year's queen, Terri-Karelle Griffith?

SL: Ooh, all the time. Initially, people were always saying we look alike. But that is one fabulous girl, so I am honoured that people would think that we are similar.

Do you compare yourself to her?

SL: I don't compare myself to anyone at all. It's good being compared if there are similarities. Hopefully by the end of the year I will be able to distinguish myself and what I have done and people will be like, 'you know, Terri is kinda like Sara' (laughing).