Jamaica seeks to host Miss World pageant by 2018

Miss Jamaica World franchise holder, Laura Butler has revealed that Jamaica are in the process of submitting documentation to Miss World organizers as they aim to host the Miss World pageant in 2018.

Butler made the announcement during a press conference on Monday at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston to showcase the wardrobe for current Miss Jamaica World, Sanneta Myrie, who will be heading to China this week ahead of next month’s Miss World pageant.

“We are now at the beginning stages of preparing a proposal to submit to Miss World to convince them to make Jamaica the host country in that year,” she explained at the presser. “I have met with public and private sector interests, including the PSOJ (Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica) and a number of tourism interests and the feedback has been positive. So right now, we are moving ahead with writing a proposal, which includes a budget to stage the pageant.”

According to Butler, Miss World organizers have long looked at Jamaica as a possible destination to host the pageant – visiting the island in 2011 to check out a number of north coast hotels and the Montego Bay Convention Centre as potential hosting grounds – but the issue has always been having the financial backing to fund such a major event.

 “I know it will be an expensive venture. But we cannot pay for the level of exposure we will get and the global audience which tunes in for the pageant,” she said. “I know they are currently in discussions with Cuba, so we have to get in there and push for 2018, piggyback on the strong international brand that is Miss World and get Jamaica some visibility in a positive light.”

No Caribbean country has ever hosted Miss World, while three Jamaicans have won the crown: Carole Jean Crawford in 1963, Cindy Breakspeare in 1976 and Jamaica’s current minister of youth and culture, Lisa Hanna in 1993.

Myrie will be vying to be Jamaica’s fourth winner of the esteemed pageant. Her wardrobe includes designs from local designers and fashion houses such as Chris Moxam, Puma, Femheka, Sophia MaxBrown, Amelia Morgandy and Cedella Marley.

Reportedly, one of the costumes is inspired by one of the country’s national symbols, the doctor bird, but is being kept under wraps at this time.