Festival Queen rules are clear

THE EDITOR, Sir: WE NOTE the recent letters to the editor published in your newspaper related to the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition and wish to use this medium to provide clarity on certain aspects of the programme. The Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition is one of our signature arts development programmes, which invites young ladies between the ages of 18 and 25 years old, who are seeking a platform to make a contribution to their community and country, to participate.

Applications are invited beginning in September each year, where each contestant is required to complete and submit with relevant information relating to her involvement in community activities and outreach programmes.

The competition is held at two levels, parish and national, and an important part of the competition at both levels is the prejudging process. Prejudging is done prior to the coronation and affords the judges an opportunity to access the reliability of the information submitted on the application form. The contestants are quizzed on their cultural awareness, community involvement, and leadership initiatives. The judges may also uncover additional information not mentioned in detail in the profile provided. This portion of the competition contributes 40 per cent of the final score for each contestant. The remaining 60 per cent is earned on stage during the talent performance, on-stage interview and overall on-stage presence and presentation.

JUDGES’ DECISIONS FINAL

We are cognisant of our mission to contribute to national development and the important role that the cultural and creative industry plays in enhancing our welfare. Therefore, the commission, at all times, takes the necessary steps to ensure persons who assist in the adjudication of our competitions have a working knowledge of the industry, our competitions and themselves are exposed, directly or indirectly, to our competitions.

The rules of the competition stipulate that the judges’ decisions are final. However, if a contestant is aggrieved, a formal complaint should be submitted to the executive director. Such complaint will be investigated and report provided to the contestant.

The Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition is held in high esteem, with a long list of outstanding Jamaican wome, who have participated and gone on to contribute significantly on a local and global scale. We wish to continue in this tradition, even as we improve our programme and recognise our Jamaican women. ORVILLE HILL (JP) Executive Director (Interim) Jamaica Cultural Development Commission