Sisters Jovi Jaja – Miss Windy Air Conditioners in the 2015 Miss Jamaica World pageant — and Gina Haritay, Miss Jamaica World 2013/Miss World Caribbean 2013, are summering back home, on seasonal break from school at the University of Westminster and the wider The Old Smoke, where the girls-about-town major in international relations and French – Jovi, and history and politics – Gina. We spent a midweek afternoon with the siblings, interspersed with inside jokes, air kisses, and thoughtful disclosures.

What is your favourite drink?

Gina: Definitely a mojito.

Jovi: Lychee martini — sweet enough to mask the taste of the alcohol.

You’ve both tried your hands at the beauty pageant circuit, what did you two learn in the process?

Gina: The value of having a strong support system. There’s so much pressure associated with pageants, and even more people who will try to knock your confidence. Having a support system to hold you up when the world is getting you down is what kept me going through the experience, especially having my momma to guide me through. Without her I would never have made it.

Jovi: Being the confident person that I thought myself to be, it was initially difficult to accept harsh criticism! My exposure to this during my pageant experience has allowed me to become more open-minded of the opinions of others.

How does your relationship family influence your relationships with other women, and the notion of universal sisterhood?

Gina: Relationships with any sibling will ultimately be difficult. There will always be squabbles and arguments, but ultimately my sister is my best friend. And in times where we may fuss and fight, we know that we need each other to make it through this life. Learning to work through our petty problems together has taught me the value of communication and compromise, not only with other women, but with people in general.

Jovi:

A sisterly relationship rivals that of marriage thus enabling it to be considered a bond for life; unbreakable. We believe that sisters should take care of each other, watch out for each other, comfort each other, and are there for each other through thick and thin. Gina and I transfer this approach to all who are close to us, and hope that others emulate us.

A century after the National Women’s Party was formed in the United States, a viable female presidential candidate has finally emerged in that country in the form of Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton. What do you suppose will be the global impact if she were to win?

Gina: President Obama, as the first black president, made such a significant impact for black people, not only with his acts as a leader, but with what he symbolises. He shows black people in America and across the world that there is no limit to what we as black people can achieve. I believe if Hillary Clinton were to win, she would represent a similar symbolism. Breaking down barriers of previous limitations on ‘a woman’s place’. She would also become a beacon of the possibility of having a family and being incredibly successful. If she wins, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Michelle Obama following her footsteps in years to come and shattering the glass ceiling for race and sex.

Jovi: Hillary Clinton’s succession as a US presidential candidate is proof that in the 21st Century we are finally learning to accept women as equals. She is the epitome of the modern-day woman and a woman’s ability as deft multi-tasker – she has ably balanced the roles of lawyer, wife, mother, grandmother and soon to be president of the United States.

What style mantra are you currently living by?

Gina: Timeless. I don’t believe in following trends as they come, I believe in dressing in a way that will transcend.

Jovi:

Currently, I dress according to my mood. It could be for comfort; or I may feel for the 1990s baggy jeans look with bold accessories. Accessories are everything to me.

On your larger to-do lists, what are you hoping to have broken the back of by this time next year?

Gina:

I hope to shatter ideas of what arenas are appropriate for young people. With my work as the ambassador of the initiative, Ignite Caribbean, I hope to show the world what the youth have to offer in terms of leadership. I hope to prove that age isn’t a hindrance, and that we need young minds to usher our world into the future.

Jovi:

I hope to have started establishing myself as a young professional within the field of international relations; in pursuit of an official foreign affairs representative post for my country, Jamaica.

In the aftermath of Brexit, how do you now see the world around you?

Gina:

I see the world as I always have, an ever-changing entity that is almost impossible to predict. The tectonic plates of our society continue to shift, as they always have. It is those who are able to find a silver lining in perhaps grey-seeming situations that will always thrive.

Jovi:

We live in a world where the solidarity of nations appears to be a united goal. Britain’s decision to leave the EU appears to be in conflict with this goal, leaving the rest of the world to wonder, whether we are stronger together, or if it’ll become a case of every man for himself.

When you’re in pursuit of escape or immersion, where in London is your very own Platform 9 3/4?

Gina: When I feel a bit homesick, I escape to Soho, in Central London. It has the best Jamaican restaurant in London, Jerk City; not to mention Jamaica Patty Co — a patty shop that sells Devon house ice cream! It’s my Caribbean oasis in the city centre.

Jovi: Notting Hill; it has a strong Caribbean influence. One of my favourite times of year is end of August when the Notting Hill Carnival takes place.

In considering your summer figure, how do you keep things in shape?

Gina: I think everyone who followed my journey after Miss Jamaica World, knows that I struggled desperately with my figure. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realised that consistency is the only thing that works. There are no quick fixes; regular exercise and a healthy, low-carb diet is the only thing that will get and keep the weight off in a healthy way. And, of course, you need a cheat meal day every now and again to keep you sane. As cliché as it sounds it’s all about making it a lifestyle, and not a diet.

Jovi: I would love to classify myself amongst the women that eat whatever they want without repercussion, but unfortunately that isn’t the case. I maintain my figure through vigorous workouts of cardio, weight training, martial arts and swimming 4-5 times a week so that I can eat whatever I want. Dieting is not my forte.

What is your closet thing to a lucky charm?

Gina: The closest thing to a lucky charm for me is a necklace my grandma gave me when I was a baby. A simple gold necklace with a cherub pendant. I call it my guardian angel, and I hold on to it in times of stress. It makes me feel as though my grandma is watching over me, giving me strength.

Jovi: My gold name-tag bracelet my parents gave to for me for my 13th birthday. I wear it everywhere.

As casual ambassadors of The Rock, what impressions of our fair isle, do you think, are left with those you interact with on the international scene?

Gina: I don’t need to guess! Jovi and I have brought so many friends to Jamaica; to show them our home. Every single person we’ve brought here has been mesmerised, not only by the food and the beaches and the beauty of the land; but by the people, by the innate feeling of being home, no matter where you’re from.

Jovi: No matter where I go in the world, one of the first things I say is that I am Jamaican. I speak about Jamaica so much that many people want to come home with me. My sister and I have brought so many friends here over the years that there is no question that we have exuded the warm welcoming and easy-going vibe of Jamaica through our love for our big Rock.