Zahra Redwood, Miss Jamaica Universe 2007. - Contributed

World Wise Partners is now the title sponsor of Miss Jamaica Universe 2008. Pulse Investments Ltd, licensee of the Jamaica preliminary to Miss Universe, has expressed its pleasure with the support World Wise will provide for the event, under an agreement signed last November. Pulse believes that this level of sponsorship will help the pageant realise its potential with regards to the quality of production, to ensure that the local event mirrors the international pageant's pre-eminence in the world of beauty contests.

The planned prize package, likely to be the best in the history of Jamaican beauty pageants, will increase the event's attractiveness to Jamaica's best talent. More resources will also be available for the preparation of Miss Jamaica for the international coronation show.

A show-stopping entertainment package is also in the works and more details in this regard will be announced later this month.

Jamaica has had significant success at Miss Universe since 1989, when Pulse was first offered the license to produce the local pageant. Several queens have made the finals of the event. The first was Sandra Foster, followed by Kimberley Mais in 1991. Later, Nicole Haughton stole the spotlight in the Trinidad finals and more recently Christine Straw made the finals in Ecuador.

First Rastafarian beauty queen

Zahra Redwood, Miss Jamaica Universe 2007 and the first Rastafarian beauty queen to appear in a major international pageant, captured the imagination of the world and attention of the world press with her beauty, articulateness, charm and intelligence.

Now in its 56th year, the Miss Universe competition provides the opportunities - mentoring, career training, resources and life experiences for women to be personally enriched through the organisation's year-round support of all aspects of their lives, from their own personal career goals to social and humanitarian causes and work.

Interested applicants to the Miss Jamaica Universe pageant 2008 should contact Pulse by visiting its New Kingston office at 38a Trafalgar Road, calling 968-1089-90, or emailing info@pulsecarib bean.com.

Applicants should be Jamaican, between 18 and 26 years, never been married or had children and possess beauty of face and body, charm, intelligence and character.