It was the young stunner from reggae land who walked away with the title of Miss Jamzone International on Sunday night, but there was some disagreement with the choice.
Miss Jamaica Lesa-Gayle Tom was a hot favourite for the title since the delegates were revealed and when she arrived in Guyana there seemed to have been no slowing her down. “She had the energy and was really firing from the word ‘go,’” an admirer said yesterday.
But it appeared the crowd favoured St. Lucia’s Joy-Ann Biscette based on her response to the final question. Biscette finished in the first runner-up position and Guyana’s Nikita Archer followed in the second runner-up position. Antigua’s Shari McEwan, a Guyanese now residing in Antigua, rounded out the top four.
Archer had been solid throughout the competition, but it was clear from the outset that the race for the crown was between Tom and Biscette. Archer stumbled on her final response to a question pertaining to what advice she would give to young women.
Tom gave a fluent response to a question about what she would do if the title were bestowed on her; she spoke of bringing awareness to her platform, which focused on children born with birth defects.
Biscette tackled a question on the economy and she delivered a crowd-pleasing response that touched on issues affecting the region.
Stabroek News was told that it was a close finish. “It was a few points that separated them and it is true that St. Lucia was good, Jamaica was just stronger on that last response,” a judge said yesterday.
This year the Jamzone beach pageant included Caribbean beauties for the first time and many observers have commented that the pageant needs to stay local. “Is a local girl shoulda get that crown last night,” a patron said. However, when asked about whom he was supporting the man said he liked St. Lucia.
The queen walked away with US$10,000 dollars; in previous years the top prize was a car.
