Grange Encourages Festival Queens to Do Their Best on the World Stage Ahead of Emancipation Day Grand Coronation
The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange encouraged all 13 Parish Queens of the 2021 Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition to put their best foot forward when stepping on the World Stage at the competition’s virtual Grand Coronation on Emancipation Day, Sunday August 1.
The Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Patron, the Hon. Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport (centre) is surrounded by the all 13 Parish Queens of the 2021 competition, post their Breakfast Courtesy Call at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on Thursday.Grange, who is the official patron of the competition addressed the queens during a special Breakfast Curtesy Call at the Pegasus Hotel on Thursday.
“I know that I have some of our nation’s most outstanding and promising young women sitting here before me this morning. This competition focuses on the complete development of the Jamaican woman, her intellectual and advocacy development, and the development of her mental and emotional strength as a cultural and youth ambassador.” The Minister said
She continued, “I know the work, the training, and the sleepless nights preparing for your interviews that you would have endured to get to this stage of the competition, but the journey is not over. Now that you are at the national level I am urging you to continue to maintain your own high standards and do your absolute best when you step on the Grand Coronation stage on August 1. Continue to see yourselves as Ambassadors of your Parishes, carrying the hopes and aspirations of every single resident in your parish, especially young girls.”
“We have invited the world to ‘Come mek we Celebrate Online’, and you are at the forefront as we stream online across multiple platforms. This of course allows anyone, anywhere in the world to be able to tune in and watch this beautiful and patriotic highlight of our Independence Celebrations,” the Minister said.
“I am so very proud of all of you, and I know that the standards to which you are being held by this competition are reflective of your very own personal standards. I am therefore confident that each and every one of you will continue to excel far beyond the charming and articulate young women who are in front of me today, you are all winners in my eyes," theMinister concluded.
The Breakfast courtesy call with the competition’s Parton was just one stop on the Parish Queens almost two week long Kingston itinerary ahead of the Grand Coronation on Sunday, August 1.
Since their arrival in the parish on Tuesday, July 20, the queens made a courtesy call on the Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen, and have also undergone specialCultural Ambassador Training courtesy of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and training in maintaining a strong and positive Social Media Presence as well as Personal Branding. They have also received training in Speech and Diction,Talent and Performance, Protocol and Social Graces, Walk and Poise, and Dining and Etiquette.
The Queens will continue their training this week and will also see additional courtesy calls with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and the Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, as well as a special Karaoke event to meet and mingle with the competition’s sponsors.
The Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition is a staple of the annual Independence Festival celebrations, and seeks to find the 13 most culturally aware, intelligent and poised young women from across the island each year, giving them a chance to be crowned as a national cultural ambassador, inclusive of a platform for their efforts towards nation building.
The Grand Coronationwill be held at the Little Theatre in Kingston beginning at 4:00 pm and will be aired live on TVJ and PBCJ as well as live-streamed on theJamaica Cultural Development Commission’s website – www.jcdc.gov.jm, Facebook - Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, and Youtube - JCDC Jamaica1 pages.
The 13 parish queens of the 2021 competition are:Miss St. Elizabeth- Kaydian Taylor, a 24 year old Social Worker; Miss St. Thomas - Ashagaye Mullings, a 24 year old Communications Director and Media Correspondent; and Miss Trelawny - Shelice Anderson, a 20 year old tertiary student, Miss Hanover - Danielle Miller, a 20 year old, tertiary student; Miss St. Mary - Claudia Campbell, a 25 year old teacher; Miss Kingston & St. Andrew -Tamoy Campbell, a 21 year old, Law student; Miss Manchester - Dominique Reid, a 25 year old Dentist; Miss Clarendon - Dennae Mills, a 21 year old Student; Miss St. James - MorganneKellier, a 23 year old, Law student; Miss St. Ann - Amanda Marsh, a 21 year old student; Miss Portland -Olecia Robinson, a 24 year old, Customer Service Agent; Miss St. Catherine - Kemoy Perry, a 21 year old Law student and Miss Westmoreland - Nakinskie Robinson, a 21 year old student.
