The historic event took place last evening (Dec. 30) at Carnival Village, where St. Kitts’ Berriscia Byron and Consuelo Dupal of St. Lucia both scored 731.5 points to lay claim to the coveted title.
However, a decision was made for both teenagers to be crowned queens; a decision that did not go down well for most members of the seemingly bewildered packed audience who voiced their disapproval, noting that there should have been a system in place tie-breakers.
While Miss St. Kitts was awarded Best Dress, Miss St. Lucia won the awards for Best Talent and Best Production. However, although the decision was already made for the winner of the Best Talent segment, the audience was given the opportunity of voting by text for the contestant they thought was the best, and Miss St. Kitts won 63 percent of the votes.
The Second Runner-up position went Ackelia Cornwall of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who amassed a total of 704.5 points; while Miss St. Thomas, USVI, Caprisha Richards, copped the Third Runner-up spot with 701.5 points.
Miss Grenada, Deirdre Greenidge, was named Miss Photogenic and she also won the Best Interview award, while Barbados’ representative Ashlee Simpson carted off the award for Best Ambassadorial Wear. The other contestants were Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Miss Bahamas, Miss Anguilla and Miss St. Croix.
However, despite being advertised weeks before the Pageant, the BVI and Guyana were not represented for reasons not known by this media house. Many patrons claimed that although Berrisca Byron might not have been outstanding in all of the judged segments, she was very consistent in every one.
A notable public figure in St. Kitts, on the condition of anonymity, said, “In any competition, the judges’ decision is final, but I am appalled at the outcome of this Pageant.
This competition is in its 30th year and the organisers should have a clause in their rules for tied positions. What should have been done, is that the two first place contestants should have been made to reappear on stage and asked a particular question and the one with the better answer be crowned queen. However, in the employment of this tie-breaker, the second contestant should be placed in an area where she cannot hear the question or the answer given by her counterpart.”
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