Miss SVG beauties to light up city tomorrow

Tomorrow, capital Kingstown will buzz with excitement as the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) launches Vincy Mas 2011.{{more}}

The event is expected to captivate avid followers of beauty pageantry, when the nine beauties vying for the coveted Miss St.Vincent and the Grenadines title make their first public appearance at which time they will be sashed by their sponsors.

This year’s contestants are Ladisha Ballantyne, Shemon Baptiste, Shenika Bascombe, Aviar Charles, Shakeira Cottle, Jamie Delplesche, Rickesha Douglas, Kennlyn Fisher and Sheridan Haynes-Jergens.

A number of the J’ouvert bands will display their 2011 product while the contestants take to the stage.

From as early as 10 a.m., the music trucks will start rolling simultaneously from both the Leeward and the Windward sides of the island.

Co-ordinator of Shows Anthony Dennie said on Wednesday, May 4, during a press conference at the CDC’s Victoria Park office, there will be whistle stops at selected areas. DJs from Hitz 103.7 FM will provide music for persons on the Windward side of the island while DJs from NBC radio will service the Leeward end.

Persons can also gather at Heritage Square in Kingstown starting at 10 a.m. where they will be entertained by the South East, Elite and the Sion Hill Steel Orchestras. A cultural group from Fancy will also be at Heritage Square. Dennie said that this group will provide the gathering with local foods that will include products made from cassava. Also, five junior calypsonians and five junior soca bands will present their 2011 productions.

A bouncing castle will also be available for the kids. It was said at an earlier press conference in March that the semi-finals of the 2011 Extempo competition will be held tomorrow. Dennie had said that unlike last year, four persons will be chosen to take part in the Extempto finals slated for to take place at the Solidarity Inc Car Park.

Heritage Square action ends at 2 p.m., while the official launch of Vincy Mas 2011 will begin at 6 p.m. at the Solidarity Inc. Car Park on Bay Street.

“We are working hard to make sure the event is perfect; the launch has always been a spectacle with thousands of persons coming out to the Car Park,” said Dennie, who added that EC$5 will get persons on the inside.

During the launch, there will be presentations from mas men, calypsonians and soca bands. The event will open with the blessing of the festival by Dean Patrick McIntosh after which Chairman of the CDC Dennis Ambrose will make his presentation. There will also be a presentation by President of the Calypsonians Association Hassan Kennedy. Representatives from a number of platinum sponsors will also make speeches after which the parade of mas bands will take place.

Dennie said that this year, eight of the mas bands will display their section of band costumes while two will display their individual of the band costumes.

After all these displays, the Car Park will see even more entertainment as artistes take to the stage for the three aspects of the New Song Competition. Dennie said that this year the CDC received a total of 70 entries spread across the three areas of the new song competition. There were 18 entries for the calypso aspect (highest ever), 23 entries sent in by soca artistes and 29 entries by Ragga Soca singers.

“The judges said that the quality is so high we should give consideration to increasing the number of entrants from five,” said Dennie.

In the New Song Calypso competition, Ron B will present ‘The Acid Test’, Man Sick will do ‘Ungrateful’, Sulle deliver ‘Counting Chicken, George Nedd will render ‘Musical Bomb’ while Queen Bee will sing, ‘Protest for that’. The new addition Ragga Soca New Song Competition will see performances from Icon (Anything You Want), Skarpyon (She Tell Me), Poorsah (The Juice), Madzart (Whole Wide World) and Shanell McKenzie (J’ouvert).

In the New Song Soca Competition, Armstrong ‘Strong’ Williams will do ‘Tie Me,’ Lancelot Gloster will do ‘Wine Freely’, Tamisha Nicholls ‘Above the Rest’, Icon ‘We dey ya’ and Madzart ‘Hello Bumper’.

Dennie said that the Extempto Competition is expected to see persons like ‘Blakey’, ‘Landlord’ and ‘Alla-G’. He also spoke of a performance by a new band called ‘Kenetics’ while the LIME Soca Dans will also do their thing.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CDC Ashford Wood says that he is looking forward to a great carnival season 2011.

On Wednesday, he urged persons to come out and support the launch as well as the various rural Carnivals. Wood has also called for persons to uphold the law while the party.