Today, The Gleaner begins its profile on the contestants in the Miss Jamaica World pageant.
Name: Rosina Casserly
Age: 18
Height: 5" 3'
Vital statistics: 33-22-36
Occupation: Student
Sponsor: Muscle Fitness and Health
Why did you decide to enter the competition?
Really, it was not a question of personal validation for me but my motto is 'start as you mean to go on', and I wish to be a contributing citizen to my country, in my life, so I think this is a great opportunity if you win to go ahead and do that.
What is your definition of a beauty queen?
A beauty queen is really someone who embodies grace, poise, charm, physical beauty, but more so inner beauty.
What do you expect to achieve by entering the competition?
Well, apart from the physical gain, apart from the fact that your body gets extremely toned, you learn so much. You learn etiquette, you learn how to walk, and how to present yourself in front of people, good conversation, what is and what is not appropriate. It's really life skills and personal development.
What is your best asset?
I would say my best asset is the fact that I am very aware about what's going on in my country because I make it a point to be an informed citizen. Not only do we have a responsibility to do that, but more of an obligation being that we live in a country, you have to know what's going on.
How would you sell Jamaica to a foreigner in light of the high crime rate?
Well, I think I would emphasise other points. I would explain to them that crime is probably concentrated more in certain areas; it's not an all-consuming part of Jamaican life. Other things go on and it's definitely not the biggest thing that we have going against us.
What do you love the most about Jamaica?
It's very difficult to simplify that, but I would have to say that it is that essence, that energy, the culture, the way we speak, it's so unique and so particular to us, that is it. Anywhere you go in the world, you have that Jamaican quality about you. Indefinable.
If you could meet one person, who would it be, and why?
I would say Morris Cargill. He is the writer of my favourite book called Jamaica Farewell. He was a political writer and a Gleaner columnist in the '70s and '80s. But, I'm a reader and I find him to be fabulous. He's a great writer - inside and out, and a person behind the words, he's great.
If you win, what sector of the society would you work with?
I have just graduated from Immaculate High and I was very heavily involved in the Students' Council and during my work there, I saw a lot of gaps between traditional high schools and inner-city schools. I think I would like to work on a mentorship programme between the two schools so that you can close that gap in the mentality there. That's what I would focus on, secondary schooling and, from there, other things.
If you were the Prime Minister what changes would you make and how?
Well, I would change perhaps the conduct in Parliament because I think its a little too much about playing to the media, and less about resolving the real issues that we have in our country and I think that is de-emphasised and that is what Parliament is for, so that would be my major change. Perhaps set ground rules, have the politicians behave in sync with the code of conduct for those things and have punishments there, rather than just have it as an informal guideline.
What do you hope to achieve in five years?
In five years I hope to be graduating from Norman Manley School of Law with my bachelor's, my LLB. That's what I hope to achieve in five years, to become an attorney.
- Carolyn Johnson
