Trelawny Festival Queen contestants sashed

Richard Morais, Gleaner Writer

FALMOUTH, Trelawny:A total of seven young women will be vying for the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) Trelawny Festival Queen title this year.

The ladies were sashed last Thursday on the grounds of Falmouth Court house. The seven paraded before a small but appreciative audience, which included Custos Rotulorum of Trelawny, Paul Muschett; former mayor of Falmouth, Jonathan Bartley; JCDC director, Field Services Department, Marjorie Lynden-Vernon; and regional manager, Natalie Morris. The contestants were serenaded by William Knibb Memorial High School student Gawayne Lynch.

Parish cultural organiser Maureen Green said the early start to the parish competition was a deliberate attempt to adequately prepare for the national finals. She said the public staging of the sashing was done to solicit the support of the public for the coronation show, set to be held at Club Vibes Restaurant and Grill in Cooper's Pen on Mother's Day, May 12.

Green made a special appeal to the business community in the parish to throw its support behind the festival events this year to ensure that Trelawny comes out ahead of the other parishes.

The contestants are:

Eighteen-year-old Westwood High School student, Dyamond Gordon;

Twenty-two-year-old Northern Caribbean University student, Sanasha Pearson;

Twenty-two-year-old university student, Renée McKessey;

Nineteen-year-old Holland High School student, Annmarie Brown;

Eighteen-year-old student at William Knibb High, Shanae Pink;

Twenty-one-year-old Monique Ellis, student at Excelsior Community College; and

Twenty-two year old Neika Lewis, University of the West Indies graduate.

Trelawny won the national competition twice after Terry-Ann Tucker took home the crown in 2001 and Kaysia Johnson in 2006. Chloe Trowers was the first runner up in 2010.