Dear Editor,

I find alarming the current mindset of two of Jamaica’s foremost beauty queens.

Is maintaining moral values and wholesome standards unacceptable? I am annoyed with young women who offer themselves as national ambassadors and then subsequently resent the standards that they are held to. Irrespective of how wayward we believe we are, we should be careful when dealing with certain aspects of our lives.

Standards are standards and though they can be tweaked to a certain extent, standards can also be unrelenting. Though I often refrain from name calling I feel compelled to do so at this point. I think I should be clear here. I applaud Sarah Lawrence for having her baby – she chose life over death! Sarah is an adult, and as an adult she is at liberty to decide what she does with her own body. That said, by entering a prestigious competition which mentors young, intelligent and impressionable women, one needs to be careful. Yendi has a children’s programme. All the little girls are enthralled with her. They will behave as their mentor has behaved.

My point is simply this: if young women desiring to enter national beauty pageants resent the glare and scrutiny of the Jamaican public, I would encourage them to leave these competitions to those who embrace it with grace, dignity and much appreciation. I felt disappointed when I read that Yendi referred to being on the front pages of publications with some form of contempt. Yendi pursued the spotlight and my words to her are, “Just deal with it.”

To the Miss Jamaica World and Miss Jamaica Universe organisers I say, “Be careful of the mentors and chaperones that you enlist.” The old saying that goes, “One bad apple spoils the whole bunch” is more of a fact than fiction. A good education and fierce ambition are not all we need in a team member. We need folks who actually stand the test of time.

The Miss Jamaica World and Miss Jamaica Universe alumnae have much to choose from. We need some criteria to be governed by. All of our actions carry a consequence either for good or bad. Though I believe in redemption, our choices dictate the course our lives take. My charge to young Jamaican women from all spheres of society is to rise!

Anna Robinson

St Elizabeth