After a twenty-year gap, Dominica has chosen to revitalize the Miss Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) pageant which will be held this year.
The Pageant was conceptualized in 1984 and has created channels for transnational integration among member states of the OECS, built lasting bonds of friendship and cooperation in the region and has celebrated Caribbean womanhood and talent.
The last Miss OECS pageant was held in 1995 and was won by Dominican contestant Kamala Jno Baptiste – Aron.
This year, the pageant will feature six contestants – Mikelle Joseph- Antigua and Barbuda, Marisol John-Dominica, Sylvorn Lavia- St.Vincent and the Grenadines, Odessa Merryman- Grenada, Earlyca Frederick -St.Lucia, and Saskia Evans- St. Kitts.
Pageant director of the Miss OECS pageant, Romualda Hyacinth said the show will allow the participants to promote their country and culture.
“It is our hope that this pageant will allow each contestant to promote her country and culture and highlight the extra ordinary talents, intelligence, poise and charm of the young women throughout the OECS,” she said.
Hyacinth said the show will feature rounds in cultural spectacle in creative national costume, performing talent, swimwear, evening wear and question and answer as well as a prejudged round on a promotional video of the contestant’s speech about herself and country.
It will take place at the Windsor park sports stadium forecourt on November 1st 2019 at 8pm under the theme “celebrating harmonization and integration in pageantry”
Tickets can be purchased at Bullseyes pharmacy for $120 (VIP), $80 (ground sitting) and $50 (standing).
The Winner will receive $US3, 000 following $US1, 500 for the first runner up and $US750 for the second runner up.
This is not factual. The last Miss OECS pageant in Dominica was held in 1996 and was won by Ms St. Kitts – Youlouca Armony.
I am confused, why do we still need OECS when we have Caricom. Surely they overlap?
I tend to agree with “A Better World Starts with You”.
For over forty years, through my work as a painter and sculptor, I have tried to convince the Afro-Caribbean woman of the beauty of her own identity, rather than modifying her looks to a foreign concept of beauty.
And the same goes for what we term as “culture”. The dress and dance of which is for the most part a colonial hand-me-down.
You are absolutely right,our beautiful black women always think that adding all this chemical filled makeup,fake hair and nails make them prettier and it does not,just be natural,each of the young ladies should have what island they represent color or national wear.Then @ the end they lose all there hair.
Fabulous!!!! Wishing them all well. Prize Money kinda low though. Their preparation might be costing them more than that. Anyway, ladies enjoy the experience and since it is around our independence celebration I hope you all get a deeper appreciation for our island’s culture, flora, and beauty.
What happened to some of the contestants pictures that was bad photographer couldn’t see their faces. I still wish them good luck and may Ms. Dominica wins.
This is wonderful to bring the competion back ,howevet these prizes are ridiculous in the year 2019 plesse do something about it.
One zhay leddeers!!
I welcome the reintroduction of the Miss OECS. Remember the very first one. I am disappointed, however, with the prizes. Very low! This is 2019.
I agree! Not even a scholarship they can offer? And what about Anguilla, Monserrat, the BVI ladies?
That’s a disgrace. These people just like to exploit the young women for them to fatten their pockets and bank accounts
Totally agree, that amount is absurd. The cost of the outfits alone is more than the winning prize amount. Such a shame.
These prizes are not very motivating at all. The cost to produce a contestant for that is more than 3 times the value of those prizes.
Wow they really want to send Skerrit home in style man. As I look at the things they have lineup for this years Independence / Creole festival it’s pretty clear that Skerrit is going to get a very good and expensive goodbye. I hope they invite all his friends like NG Lap Seng, Monfared, Diezani and all his foreign ambassadors to have a good last one with him. I also hope they raise enough money to buy him a ticket so he could spend the rest of his life in a dark room of his choice, whether in that room is located in Iran, China, The US, England, France, Spain just to name a few.
All that fake hair, straighten hair with chemicals cause my natural beauty which God blessed me with isn’t GOOD enough has got to stop!!!!! I love the idea of the pageant but it’s time we teach our girls to love themselves for WHO THEY ARE. God doesn’t create ugly. He made you in his image and likeness. You can enhance your own beauty but doesn’t add on someone else’s.