Beauty Pageants Are Not Just About Swimsuits

Former Ms Culture Contestant – Tanisha Hendrickson

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
August 21, 2012 (CUOPM)

Modern beauty pageants not only require beauty but the development of talents and opinions of life.

“Young women entering these pageants today need to be able to demonstrate that, over the years, they have taken the time to develop a talent.  In addition to this, they have to be able to answer questions clearly and intelligently during the interview segment of these shows.  So even there, in what used to be a somewhat frivolous enterprise, contestants are expected to demonstrate that there is much more to them than their physical appearance,” said St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas.

Dr. Douglas during his weekly radio call in programme “Ask the Prime Minister” on Tuesday used the opportunity to congratulate nationals who participated in local, regional and international pageants.

“I wish to congratulate Ms. Markysa O’Loughlin who represented St. Kitts and Nevis at the Miss World Pageant, because 118 young women from all over the world entered this competition. And out of these 118, Markysa’s talent display was so impressive that she was named among the top 14 contestants worldwide,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

He also congratulated Ms. Kalia Huggins and Ms. Trevicia [Barbie] Adams who represented the Federation at the Miss Jaycees Pageant in Antigua and the Miss Caribbean Culture Pageant in Nevis, with Kalia winning the first runner-up spot and Trevicia actually winning the crown.

“The message, here, being that even where so-called beauty pageants are concerned, being physically attractive is not enough.  Our young people must therefore discover their special talents – and develop them.  And they must have opinions about life and the world around them ““ and know how to express them,” said Prime Minister Douglas.