Jonique was no longer Miss Heritage, says organizing committee

The teenage, beauty queen, who this week appeared before the court, had been stripped of her title two weeks before she allegedly assaulted eight other students.{{more}}

The National Secondary Schools’ Miss Heritage Pageant Planning Committee, in a letter received by SEARCHLIGHT on Tuesday, indicated that Jonique Chance, who won the second biennial Miss Heritage title in 2011, had her title revoked on February 15.

According to the letter, since being crowned, Chance has been involved in two altercations. Dethronement was considered after the first offence, the letter said; however, the Committee decided on a lesser punishment.

Documents attached to the letter to SEARCHLIGHT show that after the first incident, the teenager apologized and pleaded with the committee to allow her to keep her title.

“Losing my crown for which I worked hard for would be a great disappointment to myself and all my supporters,” Chance wrote to Andrea Bowman, the Headmistress of the Girls’ High School, the host school of the pageant.

“I am willing to change,” said the Community College student in the October 15, 2012 letter.

“I am willing to do anything suggested by you or the committee which would help me grow.”

In spite of this, Chance fell short on her promise when she was involved in another physical altercation with a young woman at the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College on January 29 this year.

The committee revealed to SEARCHLIGHT that it was this second incident that prompted the unanimous decision to revoke the title of Miss Heritage 2011 from Jonique Chance.

A letter dated February 5, 2013 was written to Chance, informing her that her duties as queen will cease, effective February 15, 2013.

“You have failed to demonstrate responsibility for your actions and you have failed to embrace corrective measures as you moved forward,” the letter said. “You did not exemplify the qualities of a role model and you failed to desist from engaging in violent behaviour in public.”

The Planning Committee and the host institution expressed their sadness and embarrassment over what has transpired, as the aim of the pageant is to assist in moulding women of the future generation who exemplify qualities of discipline, decorum, dignity and positivity.

A member of the committee informed SEARCHLIGHT yesterday, that First Runner-Up Anya Frederick, will replace Chance as queen, for the duration of the reign.

Frederick a former student of the Girls High School, now attends the SVGCC Division of Arts, Science and General Studies.

At the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Monday, Chance pleaded not guilty to assaulting eight students on February 28, including Lauricia Williams, with whom she is alleged to have had an altercation the day before.

It is alleged that Chance threw an unknown substance, believed to be acid, on Williams, at the Mahogany Bar in Richmond Hill. The substance is said to have also caught seven other students who were nearby.

Chance was granted bail, but the prosecutor, Inspector Glenford Gregg, asked the court to order that Chance not have any contact with the virtual complainants.

Chance will return to court on March 12. (BK)