Royal expectations from Carnival Queens

Culture Minister Rene` Baptiste believes that based on the nine contestants for Miss SVG 2005, patrons of carnival and the beauty pageant will not be disappointed. She said that the Soca Monarch was the top show with regards to attendance last year at Victoria Park with the Miss SVG the second. {{more}}

Baptiste noted that Miss SVG outstripped all expectations last year and she hoped that there would be a greater response this year. She said that the Beauty Shows Committee has selected a wonderful crop of girls and with the grand prize being a university scholarship, she promised that this year the runners up will have more opportunities to represent the country.

The Culture Minister said becoming Miss SVG carries with it prestige and responsibility just like Miss Universe or Miss USA and they all carry certain responsibilities.

She noted that having a scholarship through the pageant from the government is an historic occurence.

The minister said there was always debate on what should be the prize for the pageant but this government has fulfilled the pledge of granting a university scholarship. She said, “these scholarships don’t walk on the beach like sea shells and say here am I.”

Baptiste expressed pleasure that all the girls have reached scholastic standing plus were able to reach the top of a particular competition. She said when a scholarship is offered to the ladies, they must be of the required scholastic standing, not just to meet the entry requirement to university, but be intelligent. She said as with all scholarships, government would monitor the performance at the university and the queen would be expected to be a role model so that other young girls would aspire to wear the crown in the way others aspire to be Miss USA.

Baptiste stressed that steps have been made so that the queen attends official functions and that this type of consideration never really happened in the past. “We have turned a new leaf and a new era in this particular national festival,” she said.