Models warned to be aware of bogus agencies

This country’s leading modeling agencies are sounding a word of caution to youngsters who are eager to make it on the international catwalk.{{more}}

Director of Mije Personal Development & Advertising Agency Jean Johnney-Findlay, Director of Blue Angels Personal Development Agency Janine Harry and Choreographer of the Image Modeling Agency Kimya Glasgow came together in a rare show of solidarity to warn local models of “bogus” claims by international modeling companies, that for just “a small fee”, they could become super models.

On Tuesday, August 14, at a press conference held at Club Fuzion, in Kingstown, the agency heads said that 31 local models had been chosen to be models of PIC International Modeling Agency, based in Canada.

These models were asked to sign a “Confidentiality Agreement” and pay a registration fee of $1,000 as well as their airfare to Canada.

Choreographer of the Image Modeling Agency Kimya Glasgow said that she and other modeling agency directors became suspicious when President and Chief Executive Officer of PIC Modeling Agency, Ann-Marie Daniel-Barker used what Glasgow referred to as “questionable” recruiting practices.

The choreographer said that Image Modeling Agency and similar agencies and members of the public were invited to a model call on Saturday August 4 at the NDP headquarters, but when the local agents asked questions in the interest of their models, they were told by Daniel-Barker that she “did not deal with third parties” and that she was instead “in communication with the models.”

Glasgow said that 24 hours after she circulated a press release on Monday August 13, in which she questioned the autheticity of pictures on PIC’s website, the website was dismantled.

Glasgow said several unsuccessful attempts were made to have the local modeling agencies meet with Daniel-Barker and the local representative Jasmine Smith.