For the first time, Jungle Bay Resort and Spa has provided full sponsorship to a contestant participating in the National Queen Pageant in Dominica.
Owner of Jungle Bay Resort and Spa, Sam Raphael, is sponsoring contestant number 7 in the 2020 Miss Dominica Pageant, Shannon Connor St Hilaire of Soufriere.
St Hilaire is the first contestant to receive full sponsorship.
Speaking during a press conference held at Jungle Bay on Friday, Raphael said this is very unusual for his company.
“We never sponsored any contestants before and to be honest with you, it’s not something I expected to be here doing today, but a few weeks ago a young lady contacted me and she got to me, and you have to be very good to get to me,” he explained. “She is interested in promoting the environment which is consistent to Jungle Bay’s philosophy and I said I had to see who this young lady is.”
Raphael continued, “She really knows how to push my button.”
According to him, she had the articulation to convince him that she would be a great representative of Jungle Bay and of Dominica.
Raphael explained that St Hilaire’s interest is in promoting the environment, “and I said Shannon why do you want to do this?”
She responded, “Because I want to get a scholarship to go to Law School to study Environmental Law.”
For that, Raphael said, he couldn’t say no.
He said for businesses out there, it is not just about giving, it’s an exchange.
“You are really getting tremendous marketing benefits and I think that Shannon was able to convince me of that too. So, some of the other contestants, that’s a good way to receive sponsors,” he advised.
Raphael also encouraged other businesses to come onboard to sponsors the other contestants.
St Hillaire thanked Jungle Bay for facilitating her participation in the Miss Dominica Pageant.
“To my entire Jungle Bay family, I won’t let you down. Let’s do this,” she said.
Meantime, Festivals and Events Manager Marva Williams also thanked Mr. Raphael for coming onboard
“I anticipate that others from the private sector will form part of the progression of our young adults by coming on board to support one of our lovely contestants and by extension our unique Dominican product, Mas Domnik,” she stated.
Mas Domnik 2020 will be celebrated from January 18th to February 26th under the theme: “Play the Rhythm, Play Mas”.
The Miss Dominica Pageant will be held on February 20, 2020, on the forecourt of the Windsor Park Sports Stadium.
Baby you are going places. Preparation is key now. Hit the gym, develop a defined body. Wear a hairstyle that is becoming of you. This one looks good. Make sure the hairstyle stands out. Wear sexy outfits. This is a competition and you want to win; jaycee, cultural and miss universe. Command the stage like the kalinago girl of 2010. Command the stage in the evening gown like the jade girl. Perfect your skill..Begin to walk like a queen. Yes you can. Create groups. Go around Dominica and talk to the youth about the environment. You will need this for miss universe. Make yourself visible. Good luck my love. Create a perfect video like the armour girl.
Dear friend Mr. Raphael,
If you recall we met briefly at your beautiful Jungle Bay last June 2019.
But going a different route here, wouldn’t it have been more prudent for your business in conjunction with other willing businesses to sponsor the whole pageant first and then at the end of it, the over all winner instead of just singling out a contestant this early to sponsor?
Put another way, how would the other contestants feel especially if some of them end up without sponsorship?
Just my thoughts; yours are welcome.
My Beautiful sister, why get caught up in that lightning style that’s a growing epidemic among our African sisters? Stay natural, you’re more than beautiful enough
That is literally her complexion you ….
What do you mean by lightening? This is the young lady’s complexion. We need to stop trying to bring down each other.
Yeah Sam, you done good. Great way to give back some of that CBI money.
Wow, Sam is flash with CBI money. I wonder who be sponsored by Nassief next? They all swimming in CBI money courtesy of uncle Skerrit.
This is my cousin in blood and is one thing we St Hilaire know how to do is negotiate. Proud of you Shannon and keep striving.You were born for this. You are a winner and a true queen indeed.Thank you Sam and JungleBay for this kind gesture and may your blessings be doubled in Jesus name.I will be definitely visitng JungleBay Gods willing.
Sam boy … you using some words there that sound very ambiguous…
” and she got to me, and you have to be very good to get to me”.
….. “She really knows how to push my button…”
While she might have shown great “articulation” (to use your words)… it appears you were lacking in this area.
Just for the record, Articulation is the process by which a person forms words. This is done with the different parts of a person’s jaw and mouth – the tongue, palate, lips, and teeth.
It would appear you were watching inside the young lady’s mouth while she was speaking.
What I think you wanted to say is: The young lady was conversant, well-grounded, au courant, fluent in her delivery and expressions, well-read, au fait, given the context of your statement.
But I understand… when you come across a beautiful woman, and she has the intelligence to go with it, it can make the best of us men dribble on ourselves.
Congrats Ms. St. Hilaire, best of luck to you.
For the Afro-Caribbean woman protecting the environment should also include protecting their own identity: natural hair being one attribute.
That is a long time wish in Dominica, sadly this country has been the victim of brainwashing when it comes to standards of beauty among the negro here. They all want white folks hair.
Roger,
you have no say in how this lady wears her hair…. shut your mouth and go back to figuring out how to regrow your own hair.
her hair IS natural and it’s being protected under the weave. get a grip
This I can understand. I sometimes wear a hat to protect what little is left of my natural hair.