Miss Jamaica Keri Baylis has outshone eight other beauties to be crowned this year’s Miss Jamzone International Queen amidst a packed National Culture Centre audience in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
Baylis also copped four other prizes, including body beautiful, best evening gown, best country presentation and best country dress.
Taking the first runner up spot was Miss St Lucia Louise Liza Victor, while the second runner was Miss St Kitts and Nevis Trevicia Adams. Miss Guyana Ayana Harris was given the third runner-up spot and Miss Trinidad and Tobago Renee Bhagwandeen placed fourth.
Harris also captured the prizes for best fantasy swim wear and Miss Congeniality.
However, the pageant had its share of hiccups and testimony to this is the fact that the queen herself fell on stage while taking her victory walk. But of course, not even a fall could stop the 23-year-old Jamaican beauty from shining after all her hard work wooing the audience on her journey to the crown.
Nevertheless, after five hours of intense competition, the judges made their decision based on the delegates’ performances in cultural presentation, introduction, evening wear, fantasy swim wear, national costume, evening gown and intelligence segments.
Just after midnight on Tuesday evening, the five finalists were announced, making way for the final question to be asked. While some stumbled and never answered the question, Jamaica took the advantage and swept the judges off their feet with her answer to the question: “At the end of life what would you want to be most happy about.” Responding to the question, Miss Jamaica stated that at the end of her life, she would have made a difference in the world, noting that the Jamzone Pageant gives the delegates an opportunity to reach out to the less fortunate and touch their lives in every little way. Her response stunned the audience, which erupted in applaud, knowing well that she is the winner of the contest.
In her cultural presentation, Miss Jamaica, who called herself the dancehall queen, spoke of her country and prominent international personalities including the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt, reggae icon Bob Marley and other great ambassadors.
She also provided some excitement by dancing to various tunes sung by Sean Paul, Beenie Man, Bob Marley and others, which of course, sent the audience into a frenzy.
The newly-crowned queen wowed the judges and the audience with her elegant evening gown. During the get-to-know segment, she told the audience that if she wins the pageant, she intends to use her winnings to further her education in law. The queen already has a first degree in law.
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