A poised, confident Michelle Lecky, was on Saturday night crowned Miss Jamaica Universe 2003, at the pageant’s Grand Coronation Show at the Hilton Kingston Hotel.

It was a good all-round performance by the 24 year-old, especially in the always crucial interview section that enabled her to walk away with the crown, as well as the sectional prize for the Most Aware contestant.

First runner-up and winner of the award for Best Smile was Miss Neutrogena Deborah Deer, while Miss Universal Colours Cosmetics Sadiki Alexander, emerged in the third place spot.

Lecky, the 5 ft 7 1/2 inch beauty, who wore the sash Miss Church’s Chicken, topped the field of 24 contestants and in addition to the opportunity to represent Jamaica at the Miss Universe Pageant in Panama on June 3, she also scooped cash and prizes amounting to a cool J$2-million.

Her view, that young people should aim to become entrepreneurs instead of always searching for positions of employment, impressed the judges as well as the audience.

“There are not enough jobs for young people to look forward to and we need to encourage them to stay in school and inspire them to create their own,” was her rather composed response to the question which essentially asked what steps can be taken to improve the lot of Jamaican youth.

After the pageant, speaking with the Observer, a jubilant Lecky spoke of her joy at winning the title as well as what she hopes to accomplish during her reign.

“I feel so excited and I can’t wait to get started working with kids,” she said jubilantly.

Her package of prizes includes:

* Two first class tickets to London on Air Jamaica

* Uzuri International Miss Universe wardrobe

* A three-week trip to Panama for the Miss Universe pageant

* Smirnoff cash prize of $100,000

* Weekend for two at Sandals Negril

* Weekend for two at the Hilton Kingston’s executive club

* Various other cash awards and prizes

Lecky, a crowd favourite, whose hobbies are socialising and reading, is the customer relations manager at Payout Online. She said she felt confident during the interview section that determined the judges’ final decisions and, of course, the audience’s.

“I felt great during that time and I think I answered the questions very well and was confident when I came from it,” she told the Observer.

Contestants were each asked two questions by a very pregnant and regal-looking Angelie Martin-Spencer, Miss Jamaica Universe 1994. Her strapless, white, flowing, Grecian-inspired gown did justice to her figure.

Naturally delighted at her victory, Lecky’s parents, Michael and Diane Lecky, felt that their daughter would wear the title well.

“I’m estactic for Michelle,” said her mother, a real estate broker.” I know she has a lot of responsibilities ahead of her. She is a focused person and I know she’ll represent Jamaica with integrity, pride and dignity.

Both parents felt that she was an excellent choice and are confident of her being a good role model.

Said her father, a financial advisor and insurance broker: “I know she had put a lot into it and I feel she deserves it although it was a tough competition. There were lots of beautiful, intelligent and accomplished young ladies in the pageant… we have great hopes for her.”

Church’s Chicken managing director Sandra Morris, was not surprised at the outcome of the pageant, aand never doubted that her girl would have become the winner of the coveted title.

“I just love the results. I had a lot of confidence in her from day one and have supported her wholeheartedly. She is a beautiful girl… great personality,” declared Morris.

First runner-up Deer, who emerged out of event sponsor TVJ’s My Jamaican Girl competition, proved to be a crowd favourite, sashaying all 5 ft 8 inches of her confidently across the stage.

“I feel privileged to be first runner-up because it was a good experience. I also feel relieved that we have found the winner and the best candidate won,” she told the Observer backstage, even as she expressed how shocked she was at being declared the one with the best smile.

“Now, I can move on to opportunities that will open up,” said the 19 year-old philosophy major at the University of the West Indies. Deer won $20,000 in cash and a weekend for two at Sunset Beach Resort. Second runner-up Alexander, an attorney-at -law, perhaps not surprisingly, was the most eloquent in the question and answer section, as she outlined her views — to thunderous applause, loud cheers and whistling that no other contestant received — on whether casino gambling should be introduced into Jamaica. She said such a move would be a positive one.

“Casinos are a great marketing tool and will attract people to come and while they are here, they can explore many of the other things we have to offer,” she said.

Alexander won $10,000 cash and a weekend for two at Point Village Hotel.

The Most Congenial award, dinner for two at Evita’s Restaurant, Ocho Rios, went to Zahra Small, Miss Copier Concepts. Francene Williams, Miss Sanmerna Sales, won the Style Award, voted on by her fellow contestants. For that win, she received an Uzuri $10,000 gift certificate. In the Mushroom swimwear competition, petite Tiffani Williams, 5 ft 2 inches, garnered the top prize.

Master of ceremonies, Mark McDermott of Uzuri Internationally handled the evening’s proceedings well while the overall production, choreographed by Karl Williams and McDermott, was worth going to. Videotaped clips of the contestants’ trips out of town and other activities, shot by TVJ, went down well with the audience, as did a farewell package of images of outgoing queen Sanya Hughes.