Bequia lass reigns as Miss P’tani 2016

A 16-year-old young lady originally from the northern Grenadine island of Bequia was Friday night crowned Miss P’tani 2016.

Regisha Hazell — Miss Dazzle, a Form 4, business student at Girls’ High School, defeated six other contenders, including Second Runner-up Keishell Robertson — Miss Fanfare Events, who did not hide onstage her displeasure with the judges’ decision.

Robertson also won the Talent segment of the show but she and some of her relatives thought that she deserved the crown and made their feeling known to the producers of what is decidedly the best-organised rural pageant in St. Vincent.

In addition to her EC$500 appearance fee, trophies and gift baskets, Robertson will also receive $800, a smart phone from Digicel and gift baskets for placing Second Runner-up.

First Runner-up was Lourie John — Miss People’s Pharmacy, who also won the Interview segment and was voted Miss Congeniality by fellow contestants.

John will receive the EC$500 appearance fee, plus $1,200, a smart phone from Digicel and a gift basket for placing First Runner-up

Results:

• Miss Photogenic — Keishell Robertson – Miss Fanfare Events
• Miss Congeniality: Lourie John – Miss People’s Pharmacy
• Best Swimwear: Regisha Hazell – Miss Dazzle
• Best Talent: Keishell Robertson – Miss Fanfare Events
• Best Evening Wear: Zakiyah Mofford – Miss Touch of Pearl
• Best interview: Lourie John – Miss People’s Pharmacy
• Second Runner-up: Keishell Robertson – Miss Fanfare Events
• First Runner-up: Lourie John – Miss People’s Pharmacy
• Miss P’tani 2016: Regisha Hazell – Miss Dazzle
• Other contestants: Antoria Cumberbatch — Miss Cato’s Heavy Equipment and
• Stacy Payne — Miss Prime Consulting

Hazell, a member of the National Volleyball Team told reporters that she was pleased that she had won the crown in her second pageant.

In addition to her EC$500 appearance fee, she will receive $2,000, a laptop from Kingstown Co-operative Credit Union, a smart phone from Digicel and a gift basket.

“I am very excited. I am very surprised and I am very happy that the pageant is over on a whole. However, the beautiful destination at the end of this difficult road was definitely worth it,” Hazel told reporters.

She further said: “It was a lot of stress. The preparation was not easy at all and then coming on the stage and having to perform what you learnt to the T, it was very, very hard — very hard. Not to mention being in front of so many people always being judged; always having an eye on you for when you make a mistake. So, I am happy that that’s over, but I am glad I was able to attain the crown in the process.”

Hazell aspires to be a lawyer and her motto is “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.”

She won the Swimwear category of the show and said consistency helped to secure the crown.

“I would say it was my consistency because although I won one category, it was my consistency in all four categories that helped me to attain the queen.”

Hazell entered the Miss Heritage GHS internal pageant in 2014 but did not place.

“So this was just like my stepping stone to try and revive myself from the last pageant.”

She said the Miss SVG pageant is “not out of the picture. However, it will take me a while before I get to that stage.”

Hazell is not sure that she will contest the Miss Rural SVG pageant in Canouan next month. “We will have to wait and see,” she said.

Robertson’s Talent performance was a dramatization about the death of elements of Vincentian culture that included her leaving the stage at the end of her presentation in a real casket, held shoulder-high by staff of a local funeral home.

In addition to her appearance fee and other prices, Robertson will receive a gift basket worth EC$200 for winning the Talent segment of the show.

In the Interview segment, Lourie John — Miss People’s Pharmacy’s responses to questions about her goal of becoming the first female hip-hop artiste in St. Vincent and the Argyle International Airport secured the judges’ nod.

She was asked: “You stated that the performing arts is a passion and hobby of yours and your aim of making your short-term goal come through of being the first female hip-hop artiste in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Do you think St. Vincent and the Grenadines is ready for its first female rapper?”

John responded: “Was Trinidad and Tobago ready for Kamla Persad-Bissessar? Was Jamaica ready for Portia Simpson-Miller? Is the US ready for Hillary Clinton as head of state? The great women of our time, having made a distinction between what a man can do and what a woman can do. So, no, I do not just want to be a female rapper but I would like to represent my country on an international level. And, if given the opportunity, I am going to give it my all. And, yes, I do think my country is ready for what I have to offer.”

Her second question was: “How should businesses prepare for the completion and opening of the Argyle International Airport?”

She responded: “The completion and opening of the Argyle International Airport is inevitable. So, not only should businesses prepare by developing their human resource management system, but they should also think outside of the box and not only have a state of mind in where what tourists bring to St. Vincent but what we as a nation can offer to the world. We must use the internet to help promote our products. So the farmers, fisher folks and entrepreneurs must build a label for themselves and really get that market out there and let’s make St. Vincent and the Grenadines stand out in the world.”

Zakiyah Mofford — Miss Touch of Pearl, a “full figured” contestant who was a hit with the audience, won the Evening Wear segment with a gown that “The True Essence of Beauty.”

A description read on stage said: “Black silk satin hugs Zakiyah’s full figured body and emphasizes her curves she is every so proud of. This gown flows away from the body into a fish tail and further extends at the back into a train four feet long. An elaborate peplum attaches at the waist of the gown and cascades down the back, directing into a sea of black silk satin. The black satin represents the strong black woman in her. The strapless bodice is embellished with thousands of golden glass stones and sequin encrusted floral appliqué. The sequins, combine with the appliqué, create the dazzling effect as it interacts with the light.”