3 months ago
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The road to the Miss Universe Jamaica crown is well under way, and as the nation eagerly anticipates the grand coronation, the regional leg of the competition is setting the stage for a spectacular showdown.
“The regional pageants are extremely important to the larger franchise on multiple levels. [They] provide an extensive recruitment programme for the franchise to search the entire island in gathering [more diverse contestants],” said Mark McDermoth, co-franchise holder, Miss Universe Jamaica.
He said each regional pageant presents unique opportunities for women, particularly rural women, and spreads awareness of the parent brand and its mission.
“As we approach the coronation dates for the regional competition, I’m very excited to see what the candidates bring to the regional finals, how far they have grown and developed in confidence from their first appearance and [whether] the national winner emerges from one of these regions.”
Miss Universe Jamaica East has much to celebrate. Its reigning queen, Keri-Ann Greenwood, secured Jamaica’s highest placement in the international Miss Global pageant, finishing as the first runner-up.
Jermaine Blair, franchise holder and regional manager, Miss Universe Jamaica East, said 30 contestants are vying for the 2025 title at the coronation show scheduled for April 5 inside the auditorium at Wolmer’s Boys’ School.
This year’s theme is ‘Empowered to Empower’ and reflects the competition’s commitment to nurturing well-rounded women who can create meaningful change in society.
Speaking of the region’s walk and poise coach, Poised to Perfection’s Kenesha Mitchell, Blair shared that much goes into the contestants’ overall development.
“We ensure these ladies are coached properly on simple things like hygiene practices, their mental state and how to keep it strong and protected. We talk to them about their work and poise, we are giving them lectures about self-confidence, self-actualisation, career development among other things. So it’s definitely to help them to be prepared for life in general and not just the competition,” Blair said.
‘LUCKY 13’
Regional Manager Trilissa Walker is calling her slate of contestants for the Miss Universe Jamaica Central competition the “Lucky 13”.
The adjusted Miss Universe eligibility rules took effect in 2024 and Central contestants, who work in fields such as law, electrical engineering, chemistry, fashion design, and education, reflect this inclusivity. “For the first time, we have three mothers competing,” Walker shared. “The Miss Universe organisation has opened the doors to more women by removing age limits, which means we also have two contestants who are 35 years old. This is a huge step towards celebrating diversity and acknowledging that beauty and ambition have no expiration date.”
Central’s sashing ceremony is set for March 29 at Lovers’ Leap, with the grand coronation scheduled for April 26 at the Gulf View Hotel in Mandeville.
Beauty queen-turned-regional manager and coach for Miss Universe Jamaica Northeast Sara-Jade Kow is eager to pay it forward.
Kow, who notably finished as first runner-up in the 2024 Miss Universe Jamaica pageant, took the reigns for Northeast in January and shared that the journey to the crown is about more than just beauty. This year, 14 contestants are being trained not only in traditional pageantry skills but also in social media content creation and influencer marketing.
“We are teaching them how to be ambassadors for brands and how to engage sponsors,” Kow explained. “We have been doing walk training, speech training, grooming and personal etiquette. We’ve been going through [and] teaching them social media content creation on how to be influencers among other skills.”
Following their sashing ceremony at Island Village, the Northeast contestants have been engaging in excursions, brand appearances, and rigorous training in the different elements of the competition. Their coronation is set for April 6 at Island Village, with special guest judges including reigning Miss Universe Jamaica Rachel Silvera; Dr Sandra Swaby, fourth runner-up for Miss Universe Jamaica 2024 and Miss Universe Jamaica co-national directors McDermoth and Karl Williams.
The western region is gearing up for an electrifying competition under the guidance of franchise holder and pageant coach, Hannah Sheree. With 12 contestants, Miss Universe Jamaica West is focused on poise, elegance, and transformation.
The sashing ceremony and fashion showcase will take place on March 22 marking the contestants’ first public appearance. The grand coronation is scheduled for April 22, with the final venue still being confirmed.
“The sashing showcase is this Saturday, March 22, at the Hotel Commingle at 7 p.m. and it’s also incorporated with a fashion show. So it’s our sashing showcase and fashion show.”
With each region giving their all to produce the next ambassador for Jamaica, the stage is set for a phenomenal national competition. The only question that remains – who will take the crown?
English (US) ·