NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (February 20, 2014) — Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Eric Evelyn, has expressed appreciation to five establishments for sponsoring contestants for this year’s Farm Queen Pageant, a contest to be hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture as part of activities for its 20th anniversary Agriculture Open Day.

 

 

The pageant contestants were revealed at a brief ceremony organised by the Ministry on February 17, 2014, at the Department of Agriculture’s conference room where sponsor’s cheques were presented to the five ladies who will vie for the Farm Queen crown.

 

 

Contestants are Ms. Grace Williams, sponsored by the Nevis Growers Cooperative; Ms. Vanessa Destouche, sponsored by the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis; Ms. Shonnell Christian, sponsored by Tropical Blossoms Nursery; Ms. Shoya Lawrence, sponsored by Moses Auto and Mem’s Pizzeria; and Ms. Catharine Seabrookes, sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing, Cooperatives and Fisheries.

 

 

“I would really like to say a very hearty thank you to our sponsors for so graciously accepting to sponsor our contestants and I’m sure that the contestants are going to do you justly proud…

 

 

“Of course, time is of the essence and we have just a little over a month now for the contestants to prepare for what promises to be a fabulous show on the 29th of March,” Evelyn said as he spoke of the Farm Queen Pageant, which  will be twinned with a Calypso Show.

 

 

“We’re trusting that the show will be one of class, one that we would remember 10, 20, 30 years down the line. Of course, those of us who have been with the Department for quite some time would remember that we hosted a similar show for the 10th anniversary in 2004 and we’re very pleased to be able to host this pageant once again…The contestants and the calypsonians who will be taking part in the competition will be trying to promote agriculture,” he said.

 

 

Winner of the Farm Queen Pageant will receive a scholarship for study in the Republic of China (Taiwan), while the winner of the Calypso show will receive a cash prize. Participants in both shows will each receive an airline ticket and dinner or lunch for two at a hotel or restaurant on Nevis.

 

 

Meantime, activities for the 2014 Agriculture Open Day are slated for March 27 to 29, 2014, under the theme: “On the Road to Food Security, Open Day 20.” Husband-and-wife combination of Billy and Emontine Thompson will be the patrons for this year’s agriculture celebrations.