BY KEDIESHA PERRY—
Observer writer—
Cynthia Dookie, Miss Global International 2017—
THERE is uncertainty about the number of contestants for Saturday’s Miss Global International coronation at Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, as some are facing immigration restrictions.
“Originally, we were supposed to have 50 girls and because some were facing challenges with immigration laws in their countries we cut it down to 30. Even so, there are still challenges with contestants who have to travel through the US (United States) to get to Jamaica,” Pageant Director Neelam Ramchandani told the Jamaica Observer.
She added, “Some have visa issues and so on, so we are without a final number. This issue is most common with the [contestants from] African countries who have to travel through Panama or America, like Zambia, Ghana…and there’s also India and others.”
Ramchandani said her team has been working to alleviate the problems.
“We have had sleepless nights on the phone, with travel agents trying to figure out various routes to get here and also contacting the various ambassadors in Jamaica for those countries to verify the correct laws to ensure that girls don’t book their flights and run into issues. Some need transit visas, but laws are different for so many countries and most travel agencies don’t seem to be aware of those laws as well. The time difference in other countries also makes it a challenging task,” she said.
As things stand, contestants from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe, Ecuador, Portugal, San Andreas, Australia, Lebanon, Liberia, Canada, United Kingdom, Cambodia, Province of Quebec, Haiti, South Africa, Guyana, Nigeria, Brazil, El Salvador, Ethiopia, The Bahamas, Nepal, Mexico, China Dominican Republic, Colombia and Cuba will compete.
Since its inception in 2004, Miss Global International has been held outside of Jamaica on three occasions: the United Kingdom in 2008; Trinidad and Tobago in 2015; and Santo Domingo the following year.
The reigning Miss Global International (2017) is Cynthia Dookie of Guyana.
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