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Franchise holder of the Miss Global International Competition, Lachu Ramchandani, says the pageant is returning to Jamaica after a three-year hiatus. Formerly known as the Miss Commonwealth pageant, the competition will once again be staged locally, with a focus on efforts to revive tourism activity in western Jamaica.
According to Ramchandani, the pageant was established in 2004 with the concept of being an international beauty pageant that is indigenous to the Caribbean. “It has the potential to feature Jamaica’s beauty and culture, while placing them on the map to countries and persons around the world who are not even aware of all it has to offer. The pageant was also used as a platform for Jamaica to target specific markets such as Europe or Asia to increase incoming traffic and build brand awareness. It runs under the motto of ‘Uniting the World through Beauty and Tourism’ and has, since its birth, been able to increase the number of visitors to this beautiful island,” he said.
Despite speculation that he may be giving up the franchise after this year’s pageant, Ramchandani is adamant that he is not pulling out anytime soon. “No, I’m not leaving the franchise now. My mission is to help rebuild the West as best as possible after the damage caused by the hurricane. Everyone knows I love Montego Bay. After 2026, I will take the pageant back overseas, and maybe in five years or so, I may consider selling it,” he told The Gleaner.
Over the years, he emphasised that Jamaica has consistently produced girls with tremendous potential, noting that participants from the island stand out among others for their beauty and intelligence. “The response to the pageant has been great, with so many people being interested. We had to change the name from Miss Commonwealth to include participants worldwide to Miss Global International Beauty Pageant because the response was so overwhelming.”
The Miss Global International Beauty Pageant is not to be confused with the Miss Global Organization, which was founded in 2011 and had its first Jamaican representative in 2025, Keri-Ann Greenwood, who placed first runner-up that year in Thailand, finishing behind reigning queen Nguyen Dinh Nhu Van of Vietnam. Deidrian Downer was crowned Miss Global Jamaica 2026 in January.
MAIN SPONSOR
Grand Palladium Hotel, Ramchandani stated, has come on board as a main sponsor for the international beauty pageant, which will be held at the property from September 14 to 20, in support of the hospitality and tourism industry. The grand coronation night is scheduled for September 19, and the winner will receive over US$5,000 in cash and prizes.
In addition to the prizes, Miss Global International is the ideal platform for young hopefuls because the pageant seeks to aid in the development and grooming of young females. “While we try to offer training to ladies on becoming a ‘beauty queen’, Miss Global International also provides an adventurous, educational experience for its participants.”
Last year, 20 girls participated in the pageant that was held in the Cayman Islands. This year, Ramchandani is looking at approximately 40 international delegates. The Miss Global International Competition was held locally until 2008, when the decision was taken to move it to the United Kingdom. It has since been held in several Caribbean territories, including Trinidad and Tobago, Cayman, and Santo Domingo.
The reigning Miss Global International is Raven McTaggart from the Cayman Islands. This year Jamaica is represented by Sabrina Johnson.
nicola.cunningham@gleanerjm.com
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