It is less than a month before the staging of the National Queen Show and organizers are still seeking sponsorship for the contestants.
Dominicans received a first glimpse of the six contestants who will vie for the prestigious title of Miss Dominica 2016 at a press conference held at the Dominica Festivals Committee (DFC) office in Roseau, on November 26th 2015, where they were sashed.
On Wednesday DFC spokesperson, Val Cuffy, said at a press conference that to date none of the contestants have received sponsors.
“The situation is we do need the support of the private sector in whatever way, so private sector persons out there you can either join forces, two or three of you come together and give us support because we are looking for sponsorship for our queen contestants…,” he said. “All these young ladies have taken up the opportunity to go up for queen this year, but we are still in need of some urgent assistance in terms of making sure that their preparations will be on gear for the queen show on February 5th at the Festival Village.”
According to him, it takes a lot to get Queen Show on the road and the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) and the DFC have kept it going.
“Although it has been very hard economically for us as an organization in terms of presenting the queen show but we have not let you down,” he stated. “So we are asking the corporate community to come on board, if you can give in any small amount it will go a long way in assisting the headline sponsors, assisting the DFC and DDA in getting requisite funding to get this on the road.”
Cuffy said over the years the DFC and DDA have organized the Queen Show at a loss.
Furthermore, he stated that in the event all the contestants don’t receive sponsorship before the main show, the DFC, DDA and headline sponsor FLOW will do as much as possible to get the show going.
“So we will have to get the show going, it may not be at the level that we want to because of the lack of sponsorship but the DFC and the DDA together with the headline sponsor FLOW will do as much as possible,” Cuffy explained. “Definitely, the show will go on but we do need the support because at the end of the day there are bills to be paid and the only way we can do that is if we get the financial support and contribution from sponsors in the private sector.”
The contestants are Tasia Floissac, 22, of Castle Comfort; Abigail Shillingford, 19, of Goodwill; Britney Pharoah, 22, of Grandbay; Nawana Shillingford, 25, of Loubiere; Mernel Christmas, 19, of Campbell and Judy Toussaint, 20, of San Sauveur.
Work on this
lolol u pple crack me up.a lot of what you all are saying is true..cancel the show… get sponsorship before applying, the economy is in crisis etc etc. just call it off.
For goodness sake … Put this dinosaur concept out of its sexist and anachronistic misery for once and for all. It is not commercially viable, Businesses don’t want to be associated with it, worldwide, beauty pageants and being dropped as a sexist relic of a bygone age…. not to mention its reminders of the slave auction blocks and its message to our women that it if fine to be judged by the shape of your butt rather than the content of your character
Yet here we have our knuckle dragging lechers begging to keep it on in the name of ‘culture’. Straight up … this ‘tay tay and boom boom’ show is not what represents me as a proud Waitian. Come girls .. Rise up … You don’t HAVE to do this.
alas..well if the queen contestants cannot get sponsorship what about the teenage pagent girls, the miss jamboree girls and the princess show girls???? ahh magwaysah.. private sector come on and lend a hand. Malcolm Stephen its been a while since u sponsored, Astaphans, Whitchurch I never hear ur name, Domlec after ur millions in profit u should be the first to offer sponsorship, DOWASCO, Credit Unions, Sukies, the banks,ACS, Miniyas( u recently opened another branch..this shows a sign of great business) Nassief and co… and the list goes on..People should not be begging for sponsorship..We the public are the ones investing our money into ur businesses so lend a hand and sponsor someone..If not full sponsorship then half will go a long way.. SPONSOR THEM SPONSOR ONE SPONSOR HALFWAY!!!
You guy’s just don’t get it…
If such venture isn’t commercially viable why bother? If running this yearly pagent is dependent on Gov’t or Business sponsorship where’s the value add?
You must realise that with unemployment sky high and a reducing population, where the hell is the business traffic to generate wealth by resulting in deposble income for the masses.
I don’t get it and I guess I never will. How do you operate a show for decades and it operates at a loss? Is there some form of gross mismanagement or is it that we offer too much in prizes that we cannot afford? There needs to be a re-assessment of the show and re-evaluation of the expenses. In an effort to please people we extend ourselves too much.
The Minister of tourism Robert Tonge, is the CEO of First Domestic Insurance Co, Fast Cash and Perkys, can’t he sponsor one contestant?
Carnival Queen show ‘old hat, out dated’. Out of curiosity I attended the Queen show, in my opinion the show was far to long. The show needs a revamp, new people with new ideas. Ops I forgot this is Dominica we dont like change, lets carry on the same way we did a hundred years ago. Let us celebrate mediocrity and settle for second best, pat ourselves on the back and say we are brilliant.
the first girl alone that looking a queen….best they cancel the show this year
Is it just me but what happened to Young bull. Or should I just say Val….
With the Everlina Jno Baptiste daughter going up for this show ….we all know where the crown is going…… The rest of you girls best you park your bags and don’t waste your time
lol
What is going on Business Places in Dominica and Private Sectors? Come on board and lets help make Mas Dominik great. Sponsor the young ladies it takes alot to sign up for this pageant we who don’t contribute has the biggest critic to make.
That is disappointing. A sad reflection of economic conditions in Dominica. Wish I was closer to do more.
“Di yo suce sel”
Mediocrity to the max, less than a month before the queen show Young Bull has the audacity to call on the private sector for sponsorship? What type of event planners would wait until the 11th hour to seek sponsorship for the young ladies? Just as persons overseas plan their visit two years ahead to come for carnival, the private sector prepares their budget for the year well in advance. So to ask the private sector to sponsor in that short period of time indicates that Val Cuffy and the rest of his team have no idea of event planning, which is unfortunate because Val has been there and he is a businessman. It appears that BullsEye will have to sponsor all the girls.
What is so difficult with inviting the private sector to a sponsors event six months before carnival, even before the selection of the girls.
The young ladies should never be subjected to this type of embarrassment, the private sector should not sponsor let the passport pushers do the sponsoring, they have money.
Its time for the private sector to get involve, that’s a tax right off, major advertisement for his/her business, and building community relationship.
(No business is about people its about relationship)
How much do they need and what are the requirements to offer sponsorship?
Cancel the show and blame it on Erika
Young Bull should change his name to CALF.
every year is the same ting…. eh when you Dominicans stretch out to these girls…the government should sponsor all of them…
Ok if the prize comes from the government to the tune of a full scholarship which loss are they talking about? It’s not like the prize comes from you guys collection at the gates. I don’t get it.
Anyway, I hope they get sponsorship.
The ministers of govt should sponsor them.
Two ministers per contestant.or maybe 3 because there are more ministers than teachers.
Is true… There are 18 ministers drawing salary they not working for. They should sponsor one of the contestants. Its a shame.
You’re a full blown IDIOT. Just the prize comes from the government. What about costume-building, gowns, swimsuits, public appearances, talent co-ordinating, and the whole host of other expenses that comes with hosting a pageant??? Do you think if the girls have to appear at Fort Young it’s FREE??? The government does not shoulder that burden…SPONSORS and the DFC does. Saquay sot.
All other years they getting sponsors Belladonna so they do not have to pay for all those things you mentioned and they still operating at a loss he says. You calling me saquay sot. Dominicans can’t express themselves without resorting to insults. yes i.
You still have the audacity to say they not paying for all of those things. You cannot be serious. Seems you have absolutely no idea about income and expense. You really are a sacway sot.
Why business don’t want to give back. Without the people of Dominica your business won’t strive.
Because their in no profit in this venture. The business are already getting hammered by VAT, but i thinks some will come and give to help
Shut up! Atkinson people voted for Labour too! Now go and suck your salt!
Businesses have been giving back …especially after the passage of TS Erika….to other causes. Perhaps those that they consider more beneficial socially especially at this time.
Dominica does not have any money to waste on frivolity, when there are more worthy issues to consider.
Go sponsor yourselves.
Frivolous like Billboards, party for Baroness, money for senior counsel devil, party for Melleville Hall airport Furstenberg communion; containers of red shirt pooling in canefield; Destra; Beris Harmon;
Lang Mama has a the ideas. What about contacting Q95 for a radio torn. Poor people have to jump in to put gas in the tank since the drivers take off with all the money. Dome IN Cayman, Sweden, Guadeloupe, Monaco, New Jersey, Queens New York and Savant Paille Portsmouth
Good idea in the future, whoever wants to vie,
let them find their own sponsors.At least put up some of the money.
Carnival is around the corner yet there are no sponsors for these lovely young ladies. Is this a reflection of just how difficult the economy is right now? The businesses in Dominica need to show social and corporate responsibility and help sponsor these young ladies.
I know things may be tough for them but i do think it’s their responsibility to ensure that they sponsor these ladies and in doing so will help make carnival 2016 a success.
Im hoping and I’m confident that the private sector will rise to the occasion. After all,I’m sure the carnival season is the most buoyant time of trading for those very businesses who Mr Cuffy is urging to help sponsor the contestants.
Businesses can only afford to sponsor events if they have extra cash to spare. In this economy that is in perpetual depression, how many can justify spending thousands of dollars with little to show for it?
Businesses are made to make profits-money, not social responsibility. But in my opinion this socialist DLP government, did not want to or encourage the private sector to flourish, because this would cut the dependence of certain sector of the population to the government. Now due to the storm and economic problems with their friends in venzeulua and china, thing are not looking so bright. This DLP government wants to control every thing in dominica. So maybe if they reduce the VAT, to encourage business, then businesses will be able to help the carnival contestant
The idea social responsibility… hmmm…
Correction Mr. Fabien, Independence and the Creole festival is the single highest time of trading for all goods and services in Dominica. Therefore following up with requests for sponsorship for an event generally regarded as superficial may not be the best option now.
he businesses in Dominica need to show social and corporate responsibility and help sponsor these young ladies.
I know things may be tough for them but i do think it’s their responsibility to ensure that they sponsor these ladies and in doing so will help make carnival 2016 a success.
@TF…Is it really????
Presentation is everything. The photographer should have made sure that all the ladies were presentable. All the sashes should’ve been straight. By now they should have a more presentable picture.
They should have asked me, the designated Secret Bay & best photographer on island to take them!
The PM has s[ent a bunch of time in Dubai and he couldn’t even find sponsors for the Queen show.
/s
Get real, or informed. Muslims would NEVER support a queen pageant. Women showing off their bodies, think again.
Talk to the ladies thst have 9 companies registered in Britain theor balance sheet show that over 200 million dollars is hidden . Is not Lang Mama that say is thee balance sheet they submitted to the queen and me and Harry kool like that and he told me which Web site the information is.
So Val if there are some people who can passportablyy sponsor the Queens Don can, Al can, if Ette can , Al secretary can and God is with us gas station (Emmanuel ) can .
Adonis Adony
In this hard times we are facing in Dominica, do really think business owners will take thier little penny to sponsor Queens? lol
When u all decide to put something unique and of a high standard more sponsors will come forward.,in my opinion a stronger more elevated criteria should be set for the QUEEN competition..take a look at them Victoria secret models. Then and only then will sponsors be willing to come on board to have a Prospective high class glamours QUEEN on their budget in the meantime don’t call this. A queen show but a pappy show… But then again please take a look at tHe organizers of this pageantry….
Hashtag you beat me too it,what is new,my question,why do thes young ladies vie for this crown,without getting a sponsor first smh.
Just recycle the speech made for the cancellation of the WCMF -an economic driver; and cancel the queen show????? What value does it add? Won’t our development partners be offended? Or offer the private sector a tax write off to the value of their sponsorship? After all these are difficult times. Well done private sector for keeping your priorities straight!!!!
what’s new….
