Posh Productions Presents Pageantry Plans for Carnival 2019
PHILIPSBURG — On Tuesday, July 10th, 2018, in the conference room at the House of Parliament, Anna Richardson, the director of Posh Productions presented the organization’s pageantry plans for Carnival 2019 as a part of the St. Maarten’s golden year of carnival with its 50th anniversary celebration and festivities.
Present during the press briefing were the Minister of Tourism (TEATT), Stuart Johnson, the director of the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB), May-Ling Chun and three of the reigning carnival queens for 2018, Shanice Powell (Miss Senior Carnival Queen), Shakainah Pompier Arrindell (Miss Teen Carnival Queen) and Zidania Charles Gumbs (Miss Junior Carnival Queen).
Posh Productions is organizing a number of pageants for 2019 which will be held during the 50th annual carnival to be hosted in 2019. These pageants will be the Junior Carnival Queen pageant, the Teen Carnival Queen pageant, the Senior Carnival Queen pageant, the Mature Carnival Queen pageants and two new pageants, namely the Carnival King pageant with segments for juniors and teens, and the Mr. Genuine Quality (GQ) pageant for men.
During the press briefing, Richardson, asked the general public, schools and corporate St. Maarten to support the pageant candidates by considering establishing committees within their institutions to interview applicants who are requesting sponsorship. Sponsorship has been a challenge for the organization due to the passing of hurricane Irma. However, prizes will include vehicles, cash prizes, trips and much more with the support of the people, businesses and government of St. Maarten.
The pageants are not only a beauty contest but an intellectual competition as well with interview debate segments. Richardson urged businesses to treat their choice to sponsor an individual candidate like a job interview as these candidates will be “walking, talking, marketing machines” during the period of March-April in 2019. The winner will represent the corporation for a whole year. Posh Productions also tipped the fact that in 2019 sports will be added as an element to the pageants.
Richardson commended the achievements of Shanice Powell as Miss Senior Carnival Queen 2018 who has represented St. Maarten abroadon several occasions. Miss Junior Carnival Queen, Zidania Charles Gumbs, was highlighted as well.
Richardson then turned the mike over to the Miss Teen Carnival 2018, Shakainah Pompier Arrindell, who has the distinct honor of representing St. Maarten at the Miss Teen International pageant this July in West Virginia in the United States of America.
Plans to host an official pageant for Miss Teen St. Maarten earlier this year were interrupted by the after-effects of the destruction of hurricanes Irma and Maria. However, permission was granted to St. Maarten to honorably crown a representative. Richardson and her Miss Teen SXM International Team unanimously found that Shakainah Arrindell, as the reigning Miss Teen Carnival Queen, was perfect to represent St. Maarten in this high tier international pageant. Therefore, on Sunday, May 6th, 2018, Shakainah was honourably crowned as Miss Teen St. Maarten. The Miss Teen International is a pageant that uses its platform to focus on social issues as well.
While speaking during the press conference, the 15 years old Shakainah experienced an emotional moment as she touched on the subject of Alzheimer’s and Dementia when she talked about her grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s and therefore not being able to understand why she would be leaving and going off-island. Shakainah will be bringing awareness for the diseases of Alzheimer’s and Dementia as part of her quest as ambassador to represent St. Maarten during the Miss Teen International Pageant.
Minister of Tourism Stuart Johnson expressed his appreciation to all the representatives who have and will be traveling far and abroad to represent St. Maarten as ambassadors. The minister especially commended Shakainah on her heartfelt mission because of her grandmother. The minister referred to the pageants as a platform for young ladies and women to express themselves through different segments showing their beauty and their brains.
Minister Johnson also commended the new element of pageantry focusing on sports. The minister explained that carnival 2018 is “a priority of the government” as the support for the 50th carnival is “deeply rooted in the governing accord” as marketing the St. Maarten tourism product is vitally important because “carnival is the main economic generating activity for St. Maarten”.
May-Ling Chun, director of the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, commended the ladies for not only being beautiful and smart but also for the work they are doing in “networking and putting St. Maarten on the map as ambassadors to show what St. Maarten has to offer.”
Richardson subsequently pointed out that besides Miss Haiti, only St. Maarten will be representing the Caribbean region at the Miss Teen International.
Persons interested in participating in the 2019 pageants are encouraged to register online via the website of Posh Productions at www.poshsxm.com.
Follow Shakainah on her journey to the Miss Teen International pageant by liking her page at https://www.facebook.com/Shakainahsxminternational.
Posh Productions press briefing held on Tuesday, July 10th, 2018.