The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

APPRECIATING the beauty in the shorter than average Bahamian lady, a fun and unique pageant aims to give petite girls the full package of being a lady and leader of the pack.

Created for women in the Bahamas 5ft 6in and under and aged between 13 and 28, the Miss Bahamas Petite World Pageants give contestants a chance to not only showcase their talent, intelligence and skills locally, but globally as well.

The organisation is known to host two pageants annually - Miss Bahamas Petite World and Miss Teen Bahamas Petite World. The respective reigning queens are Elisha Nouguez and Janice Seymour.

Since claiming their crowns last June, the queens were given the opportunity to travel to Connecticut, taking part in the International Petite World Pageants. Janice and Elisha both placed third runner up.

Antoine Duncombe, Director at Miss Bahamas Petite World Pageants, said he is proud of the girls and their accomplishments thus far.

“I have been in the pageant industry for about seven years now and honestly coming into this particular pageant I was like the country is too small for all of these pageants. However, when I did my research and looked into just the Florida state itself, they have over 50 pageant competitions. They all have their own mandate and purpose. Likewise, Bahamas Petite World has their own mandate and purpose as well,” he said.

Mr Duncombe said the organisation wants want petite and beautiful girls to take part in the pageants but emphasised they also seek to focus on intellect for the most part.

“There are interviews, judges questions, on stage questions and a speech competition that these girls have to take part in. They have to be able to know what is going on in the country around them and speak on their feet,” he said.

With regard to last year’s pageant competitions, Mr Duncombe said that due to the event being held in June, a time in the Bahamas mostly devoted to high school graduation ceremonies and proms, they did not have as many applicants as they had hoped.

“We started out with five girls in the teen category but ended up with two because of the girls having to do exams - but with the two contestants that did compete, it was still a strong competition. In the category of Miss, we started out with ten and ended with seven on the final night,” he said.

The preliminary schedule for the Miss Bahamas Petite World Pageants include a casting call, screening and workshops sessions for two to three months before the finale night.

“They go through seminars involving beauty etiquette, poise, career fields and just day-to-day living as a woman. Besides just having a crown and title, you also have a opportunity to showcase your intellect and community service to the Bahamas. They don’t come into the pageant with a platform but we encourage them to create a platform for when they do conquer the crown.”

Janice Seymour takes to the platform supporting childhood hunger and Elisha Nouguez campaigns for youth empowerment. Mr Duncombe said the girls have done a lot during their reign, making public appearances at schools, churches, community service and events.

“As an organisation, what we want to do in 2015 is try to be more visible in public, giving back in any way that we possible could. It is six of us on the board and we just want people to know that young people are giving back to the community. I am 24 years old and the eldest we have is probably 26. Besides the negativity that is going on surround young folks, we want them to know that there are positive young people left,” he said.

For more information on Miss Bahamas Petite World Pageants, follow the organisation on Facebook, email bahamaspetiteworldpageants@gmail.com or phone 429-4116.