Fans of the TVJ Miss Jamaica Festival Queen should expect a highly competitive event this year. Merline Daley, a member of the Jamaica Festival Committee, noted: "The major challenge the competition will face this year is that it will be harder to judge. The standard is at a decent level. I am impressed with the work done at the parish level, as each contestant came with her flair and has self-confidence."

This was indeed evident at the launch and sashing of the 13 contestants last Thursday at the Louise Bennett Garden Theatre, located on the grounds of The Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre.

Cited powerful philosophical statements

In their introduction, the contestants were equally eloquent and poised. One after the other, they cited powerful philosophical statements that reinforced the theme of the competition 'Jamaican Woman - Our National Treasure'.

"Life is a one-way trip, why not make it first class" is the philosophy of St Catherine representative, Sadeiga Grant, while for Tamara Dickens, Miss Dark and Lovely, her is "the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy".

Other contestants

Other contestants to be sashed were Miss Clarendon Parish Committee, Zuleika Jess; Miss St Thomas Co-op Credit Union, Jodean Williamson; Miss Hotel Timbamboo, Shanna-Kay Williams (Portland); Miss MoneyGram, Kamesha Turner; Miss Starlight Production, Alicia-Ann McKenzie (St Mary); Miss Hanover Parish Committee, Kelonie Noble; Miss Westmoreland Parish Committee, Chevonese Hutchinson; Miss Starfish Resort, Jhenelle Clarke; Miss St James Parish Committee, Crystal Blake; Miss Manchester Parish Committee, Lanisha Rhoden, and Miss True Bargain Hardware, Kerry-Ann Brown (St Elizabeth).

After the sashing, each contestant was presented with a cellphone from Digicel. Additionally, this year's 2009 Festival Queen will walk away with some lucrative prizes, including a 2006 Nissan Note from Mack D's Auto, while Singer will provide a colour television for each contestant.

Patron of the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition, Mrs Lorna Golding, in her charge to the queens said "Jamaican woman epitomises a miracle worker and strong sense of self and character is who you are while reputation is how others see you. You have the world at your feet, go and take it".

Learning experience

Kay Osborne, general manager of Television Jamaica, instructed the contestants to have fun and consider the experience an important learning experience. And 2001 Festival Queen, Toni-Shae James-Freckleton, pointed out that the competition uses culture as a platform for nation building.

Among the special invited guests was reigning Jamaica Festival Queen, Katrina Grant. She explained that her title provided the platform for her to spearhead a literature class in her home parish, Westmoreland. She also told The Gleaner that her year as Festival Queen was "a great experience". And it was a life- changing experience as she was able to travel unfamiliar paths.

The title has given her many wonderful experiences, but the most memorable one was attending the Landilo School for Special Education. "I realised that special hands do produce special things," she said.

Entertainment for the evening was provided by Belmont Park Primary and Excelsior High School with their gold medal winning items in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's Festival of the Performing Arts. The all-male Excelsior group performed two songs and the all-female group from Belmont Park replied with two dances. Master of ceremonies was JCDC Commissioner, Lorna Brown Bell.