Attending the Miss Global Beauty Pageant press launch are (from left), Rohan Wade of MiPhone (sponsor); Andrene Bennett of Soft Sheen (sponsor); Terry-Ann Virtue, Miss Portmore Festival Queen; franchise-holder of Miss Global, Lachu Ramchandani; Deana Douglas, contestant in the local leg of the contest; Paul Pennicook and Tameka Chevannes, another contestant in the local leg. The launch was held at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston, on Thursday, April 19. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

It's hard to imagine a more beautiful set of ladies gracing our island than those who came for last year's Miss Global pageant. But that's exactly what organisers are promising.

This is the second year of The Gleaner-sponsored Miss Global International pageant, which was originally called Miss Commonwealth. So big was the response after the staging of that event, that franchise-holder, Lachu Ramchandani, decided to extend it beyond Commonwealth countries. Ramchandani revealed that this year, there are more contestants from Africa and more Asian queens have joined from as far away as China and Pakistan.

The Jamaican queen will be chosen on May 4 at the grand coronation at The Event Place, in Montego Bay. The eliminations take place at Morgan's Harbour Hotel and Marina today. The international pageant will again be held at The Jamaica Pegasus. Like last year, the young ladies who enter will be taken on a whirlwind tour of the island's north and west coast hotels, while being groomed and prepared for the big event. Highlights of these events are two 'Meet The Queens' parties and a fashion show, on June 1.

The international coronation takes place on June 3, in Montego Bay, when the locals will get to meet the foreign femmes and of course, to cheer on their local queen. Businessman, Neville Blythe, who owns Morgan's Harbour and is an avid supporter of the contest who, encouraged other young ladies to enter as he felt those who did, would only benefit from the exposure.

Ropafadzai Garise of Zimbabwe is the reigning queen.

Attending the launch were Seragh Lakasingh, Ronald Waite, Kevin Jackson, Marcel Robinson, Sharon Tulloch-Phillips, Cedric McDonald, John Hall, Carlos MaxBrown, Brian 'Ribbie' Chung, Ray Saunders, Ashley Lewis, first runner-up in the recently held Miss Hawaiian Tropic Beauty pageant, Maureen Grant and Elaine Dwyer, as well as contestants vying for the Miss Jamaica Global title.