WESTERN BUREAU — Twelve female employees of Sandals Negril Resort in Westmoreland, will today vie for cash and prizes totaling more than $3 million, in the second staging of the Sandals Negril Awareness and Talent contest.

“The function, which will be held at the Negril Hills Golf and Country Club, promises to be the event of the year in Negril, and will certainly be one of the best social functions overall on this side of the island,” Burchell Henry, the resort’s public relations manager said.

“With an impressive and bright group of girls, very attractive and lucrative giveaways, a dynamic and hard working committee, and the best supporting set of people in and around Negril, we could not ask for more,” he added.

Henry told the Observer that the first place winner will walk away with more than $500,000 in cash and prizes, while all of the other contestants will receive generous prizes.

The contestants, which are drawn from various departments of the hotel are:

* cocktail waitresses Tamika Parchment, Kimloy Seraton, Nicole Peynado,

* waitresses Antoinette Chambers, Natasha Smalling, Kerisha Jones,

* Conneil Tate, playmaker

* Marsha More, spa therapist

* Maydean Evans, receptionist

* Aldine Woolery, laundry attendant

* Dahlia McLaren, telephone operator and

* Keisha Drummond, sales clerk.

Some of the major sponsors for the event are Wild Thing Cruises; Fraser, Fontainne and Kong Limited; Air Jamaica and Air Jamaica Express; British West Indian Airways (BWIA) and Soft Sheen.

“By the time the event is held, there could be several more sponsors, as a number of companies are now showing an interest the contest,” said Henry.

Cabaret singer, Dennis Malcolm, will headline the entertainment package, which will include the popular Fox Trot Band from Negril.

Proceeds from the event will go towards a number of charities that are funded by the resort.