On Saturday, July 19, the Jamaican culture was on display at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre and shone in all its glory as the 13 Parish Queens contested the 2014 Miss Jamaica Festival Queen title. It was Miss Kingston and St. Andrew, Anjell Bryan who walked away with the coveted title supported by the crowd’s applause.
Anjell who is an Economics graduate from the University of the West Indies was also awarded with the sectional prizes of Most Culturally Aware and Most Involved in the Community. She received $300,000 cash prize, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Trophy and other cash prizes, gift baskets and gift certificates.
Miss St. Ann Sharlene Codner was awarded the 1st runner-up spot while one of the crowd favourites, Honica Brown representing Trelawny earned the 2nd runner-up spot and also the sectional prize for the Most Poised. Miss Clarendon, Petrina Williams and Miss St. James Trudy-Ann Hylton who was voted Most Congenial were among the night’s top five contestants. Miss Portland, Tahera Brown received the Best Performance prize for her delivery of ‘Jamaica Song’.
The 25 year old Festival Queen explained that she was excited and elated to win the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen title and looks forward to participating in the upcoming Jamaica Festival events and programmes. Her national project, Guardian Angel Shoebox will focus on children in state care and medical facilities who will receive boxes of toys, stationeries and suitable gift items. Anjell explained that Jamaicans are invited to pack these items in shoeboxes and deliver them to any of the JCDC offices pending the project’s official launch.
The evening, emceed by Kerry-Ann ‘Kiki’ Thombs was filled with energetic performances from the contestants, Harold Davis and Friends, the Wolmer’s Dance Troupe and guest artiste, Romain Virgo who was commended for his positive contribution to Jamaica’s music industry.
The Miss Jamaica Festival Queen is chosen based on several criteria including Cultural Awareness, Performance, Presentation, Leadership and Community Involvement. This year’s competition is staged under the theme, “Jamaican Women…Shaping Our Culture And Our Nation” and is one the JCDC’s signature programmes, which continues to attract talented, creative and intellectual young ladies who have gone on to make indelible impact on nation building.