The 2017 Miss Global Jamaica will be chosen from a field of 27 women from across the island at the Grand Coronation Show set for the Hotel RIU in Montego Bay on Saturday night.

Over the last several weeks the girls have made courtesy calls to various heads of government, visited various tourist attractions and attended social events.Now, Neelam Ramchandani, Miss Global Jamaica director, says they are ready to shine.“The show is going to be great. We have 27 pretty girls from across Jamaica and they are going to put on a very entertaining show on Saturday night,” said an elated Ramchandani.This is the second year that the event — now in its 14th year — is being hosted and directed by Ramchandani, the daughter of prominent St James businessman Lachu Ramchandani, who started the competition in 2003.According to Neelam, this year’s staging of the pageant promises to surpass the others as she has been working tediously since last November recruiting the “right contestants and sponsors”.She told the Observer West that the show, which starts at 9:00 pm, will feature a cultural-themed talent piece by each contestant, who will also strut their stuff in swimwear and evening gowns, and “has already been sold out, but will be aired live on CVM Television”.Entertainment will also be provided by the RIU Hotel’s entertainment department.The panel of judges, she added, will include Kasi Bennett, the girlfriend of Jamaican track star Usain Bolt.The Jamaica Observer is among a raft of sponsors for the event, which include the Jamaica Tourist Board, Hotel RIU Montego Bay, Knutsford Express, Tropic Isle Living, Black Star, and Bioprist.— Mark Cummings