Nine young ladies from communities in the parishes of Manchester, Clarendon, and St Catherine are st to compete for the title of Miss Jamaica World Southern Region, one of the regional pageants in the national Miss Jamaica World pageant.

This, the augural, Southern Regional conteste will be held on September 5.

Organiser Alton Reid told the Jamaica Observer that the pageant is held to discover new talent.

“The southern region was created to bring the Miss Jamaica World experience closer to young women in communities across southern Jamaica. The regional approach allows contestants to receive more focused preparation, mentorship, and development before advancing to the national stage. It also gives the organisation an opportunity to discover women whose talent, intelligence, purpose, and community involvement might otherwise go unnoticed,” said Reid, who highlighted that the regional structure is consistent in keeping with the Miss Jamaica World strategy.

Although only nine finalists have advanced to compete for the title, Reid shared that a large number of young ladies came out for the auditions.

“The response was encouraging. We had young women from different communities expressing interest, and what stood out to us was the diversity of talent, personality, and ambition. The auditions weren’t simply about physical beauty; we were looking for women who could communicate, demonstrate purpose, and represent their communities and thereafter we made the selections,” said Reid.

On Sunday, August 9, the finalists were sashed by their respective sponsors on the rooftop at Chillinz Bar and Lounge in Old Harbour.

The finalists later competed in the Top Talent fast-track competition, which saw Shonnoya Houston emerging the winner. Lennesha Francis finished in second place, with Fiona Bartlett taking third place.

Reid shared that getting sponsors on board was both challenging and rewarding.

“We had to convince businesses that Miss Jamaica World Southern Region was more than just a pageant; it is a platform for youth development, community engagement, leadership, and the promotion of Jamaican talent. Once potential sponsors understood the vision and the value of associating their brands with the contestants and the communities we serve, the conversations became much easier. We are extremely grateful to the businesses and individuals who believed in the vision and decided to invest in the journey of these young women.”

The winner of Miss Jamaica World Southern Region receives an automatic spot in the national Miss Jamaica World pageant.

— Kevin Jacksson