Miss SVG beauties face the media

For yet another year, most of the contestants in the Miss St Vincent and the Grenadines pageant say they did so because of the possibility of winning the $80,000 scholarship that comes with the crown.

On May 14, the eight contestants who will compete at Carnival City, Victoria Park on Saturday June 4, spent the morning with members of the local press during a ‘meet the media’ function at the Young Island Resort off Villa.{{more}}

First to talk to SEARCHLIGHT was Miss Metrocint General Insurance Company Ltd Dahvana Providence, who revealed that it has been a lifelong dream to enter the Miss SVG pageant. She said that she has always loved modelling and pageants, hence the reason for taking part in the nation’s premier beauty show.

She said that on the night of the show, she will be giving patrons “something different and unique that has never been done on the Miss SVG stage before.”

SEARCHLIGHT also asked Providence about her opinion on the plight of the nation’s youths and what she thinks can be done to help youths that are on the wrong path.

“I think we can implement more trade schools. I think that the youths feel like that there is no one there to encourage them and I believe that they need to find their peace of mind and something that would push them. I love art, fashion and design. I love making clothing, so we can help them find something that they are passionate about to keep them occupied; that’s why I say implement more trade schools, so that they could learn something that could bring calm and peace of mind and that they will be able to employ themselves,” said Providence.

Miss Bank of St Vincent and the Grenadines Shanique Alexander also weighed in on the youth situation, stating that youths face various challenges in this world.

“We are expected to live up to society’s expectations, which is very difficult and my encouragement is for parents and all Vincentians and all people of the world to give love and support to the youths,” said Alexander, who noted that oftentimes, youth need things like financial support and reassurance.

“We need that reassurance that no matter how many times we may fall, there are opportunities for us to get back up and be successful. Instead of looking down on us and making it seem that everything we do is all bad, give us that encouragement and that push, that extra drive that will help us want to become better individuals,” stressed Alexander, who said that she entered the pageant to challenge herself.

She added, “I feared entering Miss SVG for years, because of the interview and the last year I said, ‘what can go wrong?’ and I decided to take the plunge”.

She described her chances of winning as, “100 out of 100, as I have been working really hard in every category.”

Miss Play 4 Raneasha Loraine told reporters that apart from the scholarship, she was attracted to the pageant because she has always had a love for pageantry. She said that she started off in pageantry competing in a neighbour’s yard and moved on to doing rural shows before she decided to do Miss SVG.

“Expect me to walk home with crown and I will confidently grace the stage and give a different and electrifying performance,” said Loraine.

The Caratal, Georgetown resident, when questioned about the nation’s youth, noted that a lot of youth live in her community and in these times, quite a number of persons that fall in the younger population category are lacking moral values.

“We don’t respect elders and we are sometimes on the street and we don’t engage in academic activities. I figure also that a lot of persons are not academically inclined, so we need to build places where they (youth) can showcase skills and talents, like singing, dancing, art.”

Anya Frederick wears the Miss St Vincent Electricity Services (VINLEC) sash. This is the first time that VINLEC has sponsored a Miss SVG contestant.

“I am so happy to be a part of the pageant, but I know that to whom much is given, much is expected,” said Frederick, who is also employed at VINLEC.

She said that the company has a lot of employees and many of them have wished her good luck.

“I will be trying my best to bring home the crown. Entering Miss SVG is an opportunity to encourage people to volunteer. I’m a Girl Guide and I like to encourage people to volunteer and I love giving back to causes and I don’t think as Vincentians we put enough emphasis on things that can benefit other people; we tend to be more me, me, me and that is one thing I would love to change,” said Frederick.

In relation to the youth, Frederick said that she would like to encourage youngsters who might be going through a hard patch.

“I would like to stress the importance of being comfortable with who you are, because without that you really have nothing and regardless of where you come from or what your circumstance is, there is always someone who is having a worst time than you are.”

Miss National Lotteries Authority Senna Lewis told SEARCHLIGHT that she has always had a keen interest in fashion and cosmetology and Miss SVG is an opportunity for her to explore that interest.

The aspiring business manager, who wants to one day own and manage her own make-up and cosmetic store, said that on show night, Vincentians can expect nothing but the best from her.

She encourages persons who might be going through hard times to “Put God in everything, because with God everything is possible. I encourage persons to trust in God”.

Many persons have pegged Miss FLOW Nikianna Williams to take the crown and according to her, “It is a pressure, because now I have to make sure that whatever I present, it is done excellently and it is pleasing; so it is a hard task.”

She revealed that entering the show was a childhood dream and while growing up, she pretended to be in queen shows, where she would always be crowned.

“I said to myself one day, I should enter the Miss SVG pageant. It was a childhood dream and who would not want a university scholarship.”

Williams said that the preparation leading up to the show has been challenging and a learning experience and she is filled with mixed emotions that include excitement and nervousness.

The aspiring child psychologist, who wants to work in education, said that she is encouraging all troubled youth “to realize that life is not over, so you must be patient, stay focused and pray.”

Miss Agricultural Input Warehouse Vakeesha John is a teacher and sees the pageant as an opportunity to shine.

She noted that she always encourages her students to grab every opportunity that they get to display their talent and skills and the pageant is a launch pad that inspires persons to be their best.

The teacher from Layou said she comes across troubled students and one way of dealing with them is by showing them love. “Once we show them love, we can point them right. I usually encourage them to learn to listen and follow the right path and I don’t believe that the nation’s youths are a lost cause. We need to be encouraging, loving and supportive”.

Miss Coreas Distributors/Miss Jergens Jeanetta Richards said that one of her main objectives for entering the show was to prove that nurses can function outside of the medical field, “and that we are versatile individuals that can perform out of the hospital setting.”

The nursing student, who will graduate from the School of Nursing in June, noted that her Miss SVG journey has allowed her to meet new people and try different things.

“The experience helps to build character and teach time management”, she said on Saturday.

Giving advice to troubled teens, Richards said, “I advise youths to work towards their goals. When we encounter difficulties leading up to something that we want to achieve, we tend to stop and let this deter us, but we must continue working because stumbling blocks help build us”.

Also present at the meet the media function was Miss SVG 2015 DeYonye Mayers. The pageant winner described her one year reign as “wonderful and filled with new experiences and new people.”

She stressed that she was able to do a number of things that she had planned and she is hoping that her actions impacted people’s lives.

Mayers will be going off to Trinidad during the next academic year to study medicine, as she is an aspiring oncologist.

“I would encourage young ladies to enter the pageant, as it builds character and strengthens weaknesses. You can become a strong lady and the chance of the scholarship is always there,” said Myers. (LC)