Austrie urges others to follow suit as he contributes to Queen contestant

Royette Laurent
2014 Carnival Queen contestant Royette Laurent

Follow the leader. That’s the message from the Parliamentary Representative for the Cottage Constituency as he made an EC$500 pledge towards the sponsorship of Portsmouth’s carnival queen contestant Royette Laurent.  “I want to say tonight that as of tomorrow, I personally will make a contribution of EC$500 towards the sponsorship of Royette.”

Austrie made the call during the official launch of Laurent, who is from Cottage, in the Portsmouth constituency, on Sunday.

“I’m not sure how many of the queens are sponsored, but Royette is not sponsored, and I believe tonight that we can make a statement as a town as a community,” he said. The Minister urged the community to pool its resources to ensure that their queen representative enters the national queen show “fully sponsored by the people of Portsmouth”.

According to Austrie, the town and people of Portsmouth can raise the funds. “If each of us drop in as little as it is, I’m sure we can raise the 15,00 or 20,000 dollars that Royette requires to be the next carnival queen. So, I want to launch this appeal tonight…Let the town council, let the citizens find a way to come together and raise the money,” he stated.

He also commended the carnival queen contestants pointing out that their task is not easy.

Queen contestant
2014 Carnival Queen contestant Octavia Prosper

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Representative for Laplaine Petter St. Jean called on the entire south east to collaborate in terms of sponsorship for their queen contestant Octavia Prosper. St Jean was addressing the Official Village Launch for Prosper on Saturday.

“I had a discussion this afternoon with the proprietor of South-East Car Rentals, and he said to me, we are not going to allow Octavia to go through the stress and pressure. So we will work together with whomsoever or whatsoever institution is prepared to sponsor you, and ensure that you get the sponsorship that you deserve,” he said.

The national queen competition gets underway on February 28.

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39 Comments

  1. January 16, 2014

    MR.AUSTRIE ALL U DOH TIRED INSULT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE?I WONDER HOW MUCH IS DOES COST A HAITIAN TO GO GWADA BY BOAT FROM DOMINICA BACKDOOR?

  2. Baby brain
    January 16, 2014

    The Queen is going to laplain this time around.. :-D :lol:

  3. hypocrites
    January 15, 2014

    You all hypocrites if he donated $10,000 u all wud say woy… where he get that money…500 is reasonable to please the fools who comment on this as being too little….

  4. Colleague
    January 15, 2014

    LMFAO… $500.00? Better you had given that and say is your grandchild that making that donation… For yourself you should have added at least two more zeros… Is allu that have ALL Dominica’s money!!

  5. love I
    January 15, 2014

    Government has to put more money into Carnival….that will help the events….they hardly give money to carnival and Culture…do better than that…magwaysa man…

  6. Anonymous
    January 15, 2014

    500 dollars, gee how generous, thats probably what they pay for a night in a hotel (when out of state), and that bill is footed by the dominican tax payer.I suppose it not easy to spend ones own money.

    • dafriend
      January 15, 2014

      You are right but not EC$ but US$ a night. These guys are jokers, the lot of them. If you all would know what goes on behind the scenes all of them including the puppet master would have been chased of the island by now.

    • Osanna Mowanga
      January 15, 2014

      what a shame. And he saying follow the Leader? what a mean leader. Sure he can give more.
      Peter,if you are a christian, stay out of this. Do not encourage young women to go and expose their nakedness in public.You know this is not right.

      • January 24, 2014

        A Christian involved in a “Carnial Queen Contest”?

        Years ago a doctor in Canada told me there are two kinds of Christians.

        1) There are those who are satisfied simply to be saved. For them it is good enough if they can just get to heaven.

        2) Then there are those who want Jesus to be the Lord of their lives. They want to please Him in all that they do.

        An intelligent Christian is one who knows there are things a Christian does not do and places a Christian does not go.

        Basically, there are two problems with beauty contests of this kind.

        (1) The near naked display of the female body is
        inappropriate. A normal healthy young man is often sexualy aroused by seeing a woman in this state of undress. This in itself is not bad. We were created this way. But it belongs in the bedroom between a husband and his wife not on a runaway or stage!

        (2) It promotes false values. How do we judge a woman’s worth or value? Is it by her face, hair, figure, curves, or the way she walks? Is it by her sexy appearance? Do all (any?) of these things make a woman more important? More worthwhile? More attractive to a man? To some men, not all! Often the men who marry them don’t stay with them.

        These physical “assets” are the very things that will cause a man who is attracted to them to leave his wife when they begin to fade in her. He will go after a younger woman who looks like his wife use to look!

        One only has to study the vast movie scene to know the falsehood of these values. The “stars” on the screen have all these “assets” but they rarely can make a marriage last! Most of them are in and out of marriages all their lives. They have a high rate of mental health issues, alcoholism, and drug problems.

        What ever happened to the values that truly make a woman worth something in society? Do things like a love for God, honesty, faithfulness, ambition, compassion, a desire to help others, not still make a woman a good citizen, student, wife, mother, worker, employee, or neighbor? What about things like intelligence, creativity, and the ability to set and achieve goals?

        A Christian who is committed to living under the Lordship of Jesus Christ will want to “…walk in the light as he is in the light…” (1 John 1:7) and will know what the Bible says about this present world system. Christians are called to be separate from the world that crucified their Savior.

        “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living scrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1,2)

        “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the LUST OF THE FLESH, AND THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17)

        “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:17,18)

        Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Pentecostal Evangelist.

    • January 16, 2014

      I AGREE WITH YOU TOTALLY.

  7. Happy
    January 15, 2014

    So Bro Petter u really sold your birth right for a bowl of soup so Christians can now go to carnival its not wrong to revel this is not your place u need go draw the line shame shame shame

  8. umm
    January 15, 2014

    Mr Austrie, ONLY $500? ALAS.. you could give some more we. Things are so expensive these days. she might ONLY be able to get a dress ON SALE with that. :(

    • rescue 911
      January 15, 2014

      and add a fifty percent discount to the already sale price

  9. Possie
    January 15, 2014

    He can do that because he have all the money he doh work hard for.

  10. Anonymous
    January 15, 2014

    Dear Mr. Austrie

    Thanks very much for your show of support to Miss Laurent – a very lovely and talented young lady whom I wish well in the pagent.

    May I suggest however that you give some more, yes I said it – give some more. After all, you ministers have been rolling in money for quite some time now. Perhaps you could sponsor her evening gown?

    Thanks for giving this some consideration.

  11. Papa Dom
    January 15, 2014

    Austrie boy you have all you millioooons so you can afford

  12. Anonymous
    January 14, 2014

    All Austrie has to do is to sponsor her fully, he certainly wont be on the loosing end.

  13. i know
    January 14, 2014

    st jean still in that i think ministers of the church are not allowed to go up for election as a matter of fact i think it is against the laws of our land. more corruption

  14. January 14, 2014

    Some dumb person always have to come out with a dumb comment. If the minister did not attend the function it would be another issue. How can he please everyone? Octavia you have our support.

  15. long tooth
    January 14, 2014

    Who is that that is at carnival queen launching there? sigh, sigh, sigh. Thank God for JESUS; and that He is not a man that He should lie. Keep your eyes upon JESUS Christians.

    • January 16, 2014

      HE SOLD HIS SOUL FOR THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER

    • January 25, 2014

      It is a sign of the times we live in.

      The disciples asked Jesus “… … what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)

      Jesus replied, “…because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matthew 24:12)

      Here in Canada I know people who were once “on fire for God” but their love for Christ has grown cold. They lost the joy they once had and the things of the world crept into their lives. Soon they were doing things and going places they would never have dreamed of in the early days of their walk with God.

      There are those who profess to be saved but nobody knows what they would do if they had an opportunity. The only reason some are still in the church is because the devil has not yet made them that offer they can’t refuse. When the time of temptation comes and they have a chance to make money or gain desired friends, or further their careers, or better their social position, they may not have the strengh to say “Get behind me satan.”

      Even Jesus had His hour of temptation. But He did not have within Him the fallen, Adam (human) nature that you and I have. Praise God, there was nothing in Him that would respond to satan’s offer! If you and I stay filled with the WORD and the SPIRIT the devil may circled overhead but there will be no runaway for him to land on!

      Don’t be discouraged by those who fail. Indeed, as
      long tooth says “Keep your eyes on Jesus.” Purpose in your heart that you will “keep yourself “unspotted from the world.”

      Soon the trumpet of the Lord will sound. The eastern sky will open. We will hear a shout saying “Arise my beloved, and come away.” In a moment we will be gone!

      Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Pentecostal Evangelist

  16. eggs
    January 14, 2014

    fellars scrambling our de doe just because election around de corner..

    each minister should sponsor a queen

  17. wow
    January 14, 2014

    that is a joke man? Austrie sponsoring $500 and talking like is full sponsorship he give the young lady.

  18. Listening!!!
    January 14, 2014

    Austrie….The taxpayers of this country don’t have a money tree like yourself. As a matter of fact they need money because they are becoming poorer.

    I hope the business community can help.

  19. Anonymous
    January 14, 2014

    $500? :( lol!!!

  20. yup
    January 14, 2014

    $500? if Digicel came to ask I wonder how much she would get? lol. look jokes.

  21. truth
    January 14, 2014

    once skeritt spirit fall on you ,you must backslide ,nothing can be right ,just WRONG <WRONG <WRONG WRONG

  22. correct mind set
    January 14, 2014

    These politician are so self serving and filled with alterior motives. How come its only during the eve of election these politician find it fitting to drop some pennies into the sponsorship hat and act like they are giving a fortune? where were they Last year, and the year before, and the year before. And where will they be once the elction has come and gone and Parlreps have been decided by the eclectorate?

    Just thinking out loud…

  23. Peepee
    January 14, 2014

    Good Mr. Austrie. All the ministers with their largess should follow your footstep and make a difference this year by sponsoring ALL the girls!

  24. Coco town
    January 14, 2014

    Good call but hey we must admit that the money is not forthcoming; Mr Austrie know very well that before his administration destroyed the economy people were able to spring at the opportunity to sponsor a carnival queen contestant. I know cause been there done that.
    The reality is that people , businesses don’t have money. I am sure that something will work out as people will grind out a dollar here and there. Now interestingly while these fellas are handing out $5000 , $10000 to buy individual votes Austrie is flag waving $500.

    If I had three houses , property renting, money from being in charge of oil business and offshore accounts, I would fully or halfway sponsor the carnival queen.

  25. well well
    January 14, 2014

    Who wants to sponsor queen contestants when the business community knows the deceit that goes on with that committee. After you choose your queen you really think I’m going to sponsor a girl who woudnt be given a fair chance? Notice that businesses are backing off! Learn to be fair!

  26. I'm Just Reporting
    January 14, 2014

    Great Point. I will sponsor the shoes for the swimwear round. DNO can you get me point of contact information for DFC.. THanks

    • the katalyst
      January 15, 2014

      @ “i’m just reporting” You can contact DFC 448-4833. kindly ask for Ms Clark

  27. rescue 911
    January 14, 2014

    thank u very much mr austrie,but you could give a little more

  28. LaPLaine
    January 14, 2014

    Oh yes I think some business in the South East can sponsor Octavia. I see business such as Jungle Bay Resort,Rosalie Bay Resort,Element Agencies,the South East Car rentals and many others. Common guys we can do this.

  29. Anonymous
    January 14, 2014

    But how come Minister St Jean in queen launching nuh. Our church does not take part in CARNIVAL so what happen bro Petter politics and votes preceded GOD. we cannot be serious.

    • Anonymous
      January 14, 2014

      do or don’t do is the same thing. just do it

    • January 16, 2014

      JUDAS WAS WITH CHRIST,BUT WHEN THE SILVER GLITTER IN EYES HE DECIDED TO WORSHIP DE SILVER DESPITE KNOWING THE TRUTH,THE MOST HIGH WATCHING THEM DOH WORRY.

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