Miss
Earth Jamaica: Environmental
awareness in fashion style
Leethan
Grandison,Youthlink
Writer
Simone
Burke will be Jamaica's representative
to Manila, on November 9, for the Miss
Earth pageant. She was crowned in what
could be described as a beauty competition
with a difference at the Knutsford Court
Hotel on Sunday, June 22. Janice Davis,
president and national director for
Miss Earth Jamaica, outlined that the
winner was selected after a pre-elimination
judging.
"The
Miss Earth pageant is a programme that
aims to empower young women with knowledge
and a platform to create a sustainable
difference in our plight to combat the
destruction of our natural heritage,
by creating an understanding of our
environment, wildlife and the conservation
of natural legacy," Davis said.
When
Simone spoke with Youthlink, she expressed
concern about the environment. "We
can't expect our environment to look
after us if we don't look after it,"
she said.
Goodwill
ambassador
The
22-year-old biochemistry student at
the University of the West Indies, will
act as a goodwill ambassador and is
expected to work with environmental
projects on the three Rs (reduce, reuse
and recycle), which should assist in
helping Jamaica to be an eco-friendly
tourist destination.
The
newly crowned Miss Earth Jamaica is
looking forward to teach and advocate
protecting the country's natural environment
and its heritage. "In planning,
(we intend) to have a go-green primary
school tour, so we can educate our young
students, as well as fund-raisers towards
preserving the environment and improving
the quality of life," Burke said.
The
criteria for selecting the queen included
good character, charm, poise and personality.
Established
in 2001 and organised by Carousel Productions,
the Miss Earth pageant is ranked third
internationally behind Miss World and
Miss Universe and serves to promote
and address issues concerning the environment.
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Simone
is all smiles at the Miss Earth
Jamaica pageant.
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Promoter
André French poses for
a picture with the first and newly
crowned Miss Jamaica Earth, Simone
Burke.
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Audrey
Allwood (left), orga-niser of
Fit and Fabulous Sports, one of
the sponsors of the event, smiles
with Miss Spartan Body Beauty
1991-1992, Heather Skyes (centre)
and Jacqui Melville, Miss Junior
Jamaica 2001 Body Building Fitness
Association, at the Miss Jamaica
Earth pageant.
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- Photos
by Leethan Grandison
