BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A total of 20 contestants from the Caribbean and South American countries are expected to compete in this weekend’s Miss Caribbean World Pageant slated for Tortola.
The show will be held on Saturday (Mar. 27) at the Multipurpose Sports Complex and is expected to feature beauties from Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Magarita Islands, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, USA, USVI and Venezuela.
The contestants were expected to arrive in the Birtish Virgin Islands on March 20, where they will begin their participation in several pre-pageant activities including day trips to neighbouring islands and nightly cocktails.
Fatisha Imo, the 2007/08 First Runner-up in the National Carnival Queen Pageant will be representing the Federation in the prestigious pageant.
SKNVibes recently came across an email from the chairperson of the pageant, Alesia Hamm, that was sent since on October 23, 2009.
The email reads: “I wanted your input on the delegate from St. Kitts. We have been constantly sending information to the Carnival Committee in reference to the 5th annual Pageant and to date have not gotten a response from them, we've decided to move forward and have extended an invitation to a former runner up of the Miss St. Kitts Pageant.”
A source from the festival office told SKNVibes that they usually do not send contestants to certain pageants after feedback from chaperones, and that it has been years since St. Kitts and Nevis had participated in that pageant.
“Sometimes it’s a waste of money,” the source said.
The pageant had two past National Queen contestants including former National Carnival Queen Tesia Burton and Second Runner-up in the 2007/08 event Cindy DeSouza.
In a previous interview, Imo, the Midwestern State University student who is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Accounting in Texas, told SKNVibes that she is hoping to capture the crown although preparations for the event are challenging.
“Staying focused on my academics and preparing for a pageant of this calibre have been somewhat strenuous,” she said.
“However, it is a challenge that I readily welcome because I made this choice to enter the pageant knowing that I was enrolled in university.
“I’ve definitely embraced the art of time management because it is crucial at this time. But I’m ensuring that I allocate sufficient time to both my academics and preparing for the pageant to ensure that I capture the crown for the Federation.”
The 22-year-old describes herself as an ambitious, outgoing and generous person.
“I’m also the type of person who believes that having a positive attitude, maintaining self-integrity and being strong-willed are positive traits that any successful woman should embrace,” Imo said.
With a great love for dancing, Imo was a member of the Children’s Dance Theatre (CDT) and CFBC Ensemble as well as a dance tutor at the CDT.
Along with becoming an Accountant and opening her own firm as one of her future aspirations, Imo said she has always dreamt of opening her own dance theatre, which she declared would provide each dancer the opportunity to experience the elements of dance in confidence, creativity, musicality, rhythm, self-esteem and technique.
“Right now, I’m just working on me and raising my personal value. This includes, of course, staying focused while trying to obtain my undergraduate degree, engaging in activities that will ensure my health fitness, keep my mind active and definitely helping others achieve their goals in pageantry as well,” she said.
