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Charlestown, Nevis, December 4, 2017 (DBSKN) — Four beautiful and fabulous contestants appeared on Saturday evening December 2 at the Gingerama Village, Croney’s House in Market Shop, Gingerland – Nevis, vying for the Development Bank Miss Gingerama Queen 2017/2018 title. Two were left in the dust as the competition, which was interrupted by rain severally, turned out to be a two-horse race affair.

 

Contestant Number Four 21-year-old Ms Nayala Daniel, who was sponsored by Caribe Pay Nevis Ltd, however edged out her close challenger Contestant Number Three Ms Nakita Thibou who was sponsored by Yuko Construction & Supplies to clinch the Development Bank Miss Gingerama Queen title for 2017-2018 after amassing a total of 872 points.

 

Ms Nakita Thibou got the first runner up position after amassing a total of 856.5 points. The others were Contestant Number One Ms Crystal Erskine who was sponsored by Landlord Construction, and Contestant Number Two Ms Akilah Weekes, sponsored by the Nevis Culturama Committee.

 

The pageant which was fully sponsored by the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis (DBSKN) and hosted by Mr Eric Evelyn, who is also the Chairperson of the Gingerama Festival Committee, and who was assisted by Ms Mellissa Martin, was held under the theme ‘Reviving our culture, sustaining our heritage’.

 

The four contestants, who were led on stage by the outgoing Miss Gingerama 2016/17 Ms Theola Vanterpool for the initial introduction, took part in two non-judged segments and four judged segments. With a panel of five highly acclaimed judges, Ms Shirley Wilkes, Ms Candor Hanley, Ms Shanelle Simmonds, Ms Jaedee S.K. Caines, and Mrs Nicole L.C. Lawrence, the crowd was assured of getting a fair judgment.

 

The first two non-judged, Miss Photogenic and Miss Congeniality were grabbed up by the two top contenders. Ms Nakita Thibou took the Miss Photogenic title and Ms Nayala Daniel took the Miss Congeniality title, to the loud applause by a generous crowd that had weathered a heavy downpour that had come at 10:50 pm and which was gloriously referred to as “a water break” by host Mr Eric Evelyn. There were interment showers earlier on whose only effect on the crowd was the appearance of a mass of umbrellas.

 

In the judged segments, Best Cultural Presentation was taken by Ms Nayala Daniel with 173 points. She also took the next two, Fun Segment with 173.5 points, and Best Performing Talent with a whopping 207.5 points which might have tilted the balance in her favour, as the lead she had opened up was unassailable, not unless she scored zero in the remaining two segments – but she did not.

 

Not one to be contended with being left with nothing to take home, Ms Nakita Thibou fought back to take the last two judged segments, the Best Evening Wear with 152 points, and Best Interview with 187 points but which were not good enough to close the gap that had been opened up by Ms Nayala Daniel when she took the first three judged segments. Ms Thibou gladly settled for the first runner-up position.

 

The crowd was very patient, even after the ‘water break’, as everyone waited until 12:52 am (Sunday morning December 3) when they learnt that Ms Nayala Daniel was the Development Bank Miss Gingerama Queen 2017/2018. And they did not just leave immediately as many surged forward with their smartphones taking pictures and videos of the winner and other competitors, and some revellers were still at the ground after 1:30 am.

 

“This is the first time the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis is coming on board to sponsor the entire show,” announced Host Eric Evelyn. “We want to say kudos, and a very, very big thank you to the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis and to all of the other sponsors. We want to say thanks to Landlord Construction, Nevis Culturama Committee, Yuko Construction & Supplies, and Caribe Pay Nevis Ltd.”

 

The show was attended by Premier of Nevis and Senior Minister in the Federal Unity Administration, the Hon Vance Amory, who is also the local Area Parliamentary Representative in the Nevis Island Assembly, and in the National Federal Parliament.

 

This was one of Hon Amory’s last public appearances as the Premier of Nevis as he has signalled that he is not seeking re-election in the next Nevis Island Assembly elections which will be held on Monday December 18.

 

Also attending the show was Ms Hyacinth Pemberton, who represented the main sponsor of the pageant, the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis (DBSKN). Ms Pemberton who is the manager of the Nevis Branch of the Development Bank expressed her gratitude to the large crowd that turned out and braved a heavy downpour that would have otherwise sent many people going to the comfort of their homes.

 

“The great appreciation shown by the enthusiastic crowd that turned out at the Gingerama Village in Croney’s House is testament that the Development Bank’s efforts to promote community togetherness are bearing fruits,” said Ms Pemberton. “The Gingerama Festival Committee, and in particular the Gingerama Pageant Committee, have done a commendable job in delivering such a high quality show.

 

Ms Pemberton concluded: “It was as part of the Development Bank’s social responsibility that we sponsored the pageant which goes a long way in bringing people together. The contestants were splendid in directing us how to revive our culture, and how to sustain our heritage, and all of them are winners in their own right, but only one could be The Development Bank Miss Gingerama Queen 2017/18.”

 

ENDS