Alicia Hamm Out! Janette N. Brin In! Shakeup in Miss BVI Committee
It was last week that she gave up her post she served in for some four years, from 2012 -2015. Even before that, from 1998 to 2003, Ms Hamm, a Virgin Islander, co-chaired the same Miss BVI Pageant Committee, giving her some 10 years around the Miss BVI queen shows.
It remains unclear whether she was forced out for political reasons or if she left voluntarily. The Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee has been rocked by politics and political interference by the controversial Minister for Education and Culture Hon Myron V. Walwyn.
It is alleged that one must be a supporter of the National Democratic Party (NDP) to serve in any high level post on the Committee or any of the Subcommittees.
Ms Hamm could not be reached for comments up to publication time as our newsroom was told by her place of employment that she is overseas.
Jenette N. Brin in as new Chairwoman
Ms Hamm was replaced from last week by Marketing Manager for CCT Global Communications, Ms Janette N. Brin. She is the founding Editor of Caribbean Posh, a fashion magazine dedicated to promoting women and culture.
Ms Brin, whose twin sister Lynette is a former Miss BVI who also held the position of Chairperson of the Miss BVI Committee some years ago and continues to serve on the Committee, confirmed that she is the new Chairperson.
Nothing that there are many immediate tasks she wishes to undertake as the Chairperson, Ms Brin said the immediate focus is to ensure a well run Miss BVI pageant on July 31, 2016.
“Obviously we have a short time frame in which to work with but we were able to pull together enough contestants to have a good show and we are confident that the girls are ready and eager to participate. Obviously it’s our annual festival and Miss BVI is a feature of that.
“Aside from that it is not only focusing on the right now but also for the future and how we could make things better,” Ms Brin said, noting that she is a firm believer that as a community we all have a part to ensure that our festival gets bigger and better every year.
The new Chairperson disclosed that only today the Committee visited the Elmore Stoutt High School to speak about the Miss BVI Pageant as she believes contestants need to be groomed from a very early age to become Miss Universe calibre.
“All of them might not be of age yet but still we want them to be thinking about these types of opportunities that give them a chance to work on building their confidence, being empowered, and learning about social responsibilities. Those are the three things that we are emphasising this year so that the pageant is more in line with the Miss Universe Pageant.”
This year the Miss BVI Subcommittee had reportedly faced challenges getting young ladies to participate in the 2016-2017 pageant.
Over the many years many of the former Miss BVIs have spoken out on alleged unfair treatment by both the pageant committee and the main Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Organisation. Many of them have complained about receiving their prizes late, the fact that they are not allowed to speak with the press and the lack of financial support when they are to go overseas to participate in pageants. They have claimed to have been forced to take funds from their pockets once crowned Miss BVI, along with seeking sponsors from family and the private sector.
Slow start for Festival 2016; No money!
This year the planning for Emancipation Festival on Tortola got off to a slow start and with the reports that the National Democratic Party has left the country broke to allegedly buy the 2015 snap elections, funds have been a challenge.
Emancipation Festival includes events at East End, Road Town and Carrot Bay.
Other critics have blasted the Minister for Culture, Hon Walwyn, for wasting US$1M on a small wall around the Elmore Stoutt High School, money they say could have been there today for our Emancipation celebrations and for much needed supplies for schools.
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31 Responses to “Alicia Hamm Out! Janette N. Brin In! Shakeup in Miss BVI Committee”
Ms. Brinn will do great!
Go Jan! Can't wait to attend the show.