KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna will not be participating in the 2015 Miss World competition on Saturday, December 19, where she was scheduled to be a judge.

According to Hanna, the most recent incident involving the Child Development Agency’s removal of 34 wards of the State from the Sunshine Child Care Facility in a manner that breached the rights of the children, needs her attention.

“I would not feel comfortable leaving at this time knowing that the actions of a few within my primary agency responsible for child care and protection acted in such a manner,” Hanna said in a news release from the ministry yesterday. “Subsequently, there are certain actions that I have taken and others that I am taking to remedy the situation which needs my oversight on the issue concerning the nation’s children.”

Hanna, who has remained close to the Miss World Organization and Julia Morley over the past 22 years, spoke with Morley on Thursday to convey the information, the release said.

Hanna said Morley was disappointed, but understood her stance. The youth and culture minister reportedly expressed that she would miss catching up with everyone and promised Morley to participate at another time.

“I will be eternally grateful for the opportunity that I had of being Miss World to represent Jamaica and the world in 1993. I send my best wishes to the reigning Miss Jamaica World 2015 Dr Sanneta Myrie and all the contestants at the pageant,” Hanna noted.