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Nine of the contestants in this year's Miss Carival, along with Miss Carival 2012, St. Lucian Roxanne Didier-Nicholas, pose at the E.T. Joshua Airport, where they attended a ceremony to welcome regional airline LIAT's newest aircraft to St. Vincent. (IWN photo)
Nine of the contestants in this year’s Miss Carival, along with Miss Carival 2012, St. Lucian Roxanne Didier-Nicholas, pose at the E.T. Joshua Airport, where they attended a ceremony to welcome regional airline LIAT’s newest aircraft to St. Vincent. (IWN photo)
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The Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) is promising patrons at Miss Carival 2013 an exciting and well executed-show Friday night.

This year, the CDC is giving Miss Carival the prominence it deserves by moving it forward one week, to become the opening event of Vincy Mas, Cheryl Rodriguez, chair of the CDC’s Beauty Shows Committee told a press conference on Wednesday

She said contestants have referred to Miss Carival as the best organised and most professionally run pageant they have attended in the Caribbean and beyond.

She said the regional pageant is intended to foster bonds and linkages between the nations of the region, encourage visitors to return, showcase the beauty and diversity of all Caribbean women, and offer the warmth and hospitality that has characterised St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“We, the CDC and the Beauty Shows Committee, will do all we can to produce a smooth, entertaining and well executed production,” Rodriguez said.

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“We impressed upon the participating countries that we will only accept the reigning queen or a contestant who is suitably qualified to represent their countries and represent their countries well. “Over the past year, we communicated regularly with all countries to ensure that the contestants were well prepared in every aspect. We expect energetic, exciting and high standard performances from all the contestants,” she further stated.

The 28th staging of the pageant will be held under the theme “28 Years of Exquisite Pageantry”.

The contestants are:

Miss Barbados — Dannyele Teneel Leslie

Miss B.V.I. — Shari Bianca Ylina De Castro

Miss Dominica — Leslassa Adey Armour Shillingford

Miss Dominican Republic — Rosa Emelia Martinez Javier

Miss Jamaica — Kabrena Latoya Robinson

Miss St Kitts and Nevis — Zinga Ayesha Johariah Imo

Miss St Lucia — Janelle Desir

St. Vincent and the Grenadines — Shara Goerge

Miss Trinidad & Tobago — Jenelle Jenny Thongs

Miss Venezuela — Yaimer De Los Angeles Armes Macias

Miss Carival 2013 will receive US$4,300 from the CDC. The first runner-up will get US$1,300 and second runner-up, US$700.

The contestants will also receive gifts from business houses and trophies from individuals and organizations.

Miss St. Lucia, Roxanne Didier-Nicholas, is the reigning Miss Carival.

The show begins at 8 p.m. at Victoria Park in Kingstown.