Sharissa Ryan (centre)
by Bennette Roach
It began Sunday night and into the morning of July 27, 2015, the celebration of the news that Miss Sharissa Ryan had been crowned Miss Jacees Queen at Antigua’s Carnival City, with attention soon shifting to the calypso monarch completion due to take place a week later, featuring Keithroy ‘De Bear’ Morson, who thrives successfully in controversy.
Another shift in attention was to her next outing which would prevent her from returning directly to Montserrat, delaying the celebrations that would await her. She moved on to Nevis where anticipation from her supporters ran high that she would likely be successful in victory there.
Miss Nerissa Golden reported early on the Jaycees show posting on www.DiscoverMontserrat.com as follows, capturing what it must have been like and what most likely was, that her victory and success was due largely to: “The hard work paid off for Team Montserrat when Miss Sharissa Ryan was crowned the 2015 Jaycees Queen at Carnival City…”
She noted that Observer Radio commentators said consistency was key to Sharissa Ryan coming out ahead of 10 other contestants to win the crown. Ryan won the best talent segment with an outstanding performance on violin. “It garnered her an ovation from the majority of the audience,” she reported.
Golden continues that, this is the first win for Montserrat in the 54 years of the pageant, which is held as part of the annual Antigua & Barbuda Carnival.
Miss Montserrat’s opening costume depicted the island’s national bird the Oriole and was designed by Chadd Cumberbatch.
The commentary team felt she carried her gown called Black Diamonds well in the evening wear segment and gave an outstanding performance in the talent segment. Her playing of the violin stood out as everyone else sang, performed monologues or danced. Veteran Radio and Television host Dave Payne had his eye on Miss Montserrat all night and picked her as a favourite to win over hometown favourite Misss Antigua & Barbuda.
Making it into the top five were: Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica. The final segment winners were: Interview Segment – Miss Dominica; Evening Wear segment won by Miss Antigua & Barbuda; Best Talent – Miss Montserrat; Best Swimsuit – Miss Barbados.
As morning broke on the 27th and news spread naturally on social media and with ZJB coming alive with Basil on the breakfast show. Montserratians on island and abroad shared feedback on social media about the show which ran almost just under four hours. The excitement was palpable when Sharissa was called first in the Top Five and her confident answer in a tough interview segment provided more proof that her chances to win was even better.
As attention shifted to the {Nevis 2015) LIME Miss Culturama Queen Show, plans were underway for her welcome home. Also plans rushed into gear for now eager supporters to travel to Nevis for the upcoming show and for DeBear’s participation in the Antigua Carnival calypso monarch competition.
Special ferry services were arranged for persons wishing to travel to Nevis and Antigua for the shows on weekend.
The ferry service to Nevis will make it possible for persons to attend the Miss Caribbean Culture Pageant. Miss Montserrat Sharissa Ryan is a contestant in the pageant. The service to Antigua will facilitate persons wishing to support the two Montserratians Keithroy ‘DeBear’ Morson and Eugene ‘King Kasibah’ Silcott in the calypso monarch finals on Sunday night.
DeBear makes history – wins again in Antigua
Bear wins – photo Observer Radio
DiscoverMontserrat via Nerissa Golden again reported on the story. “Can’t Stop the Bear and Sing a Different Song took the Montserrat’s reigning calypso monarch to the winners’ stage in Antigua on Sunday night, August 2, 2015.
Keithroy “De Bear” Morson recaptured the crown he lost in 2013, following a three-year run as the Antiguan calypso king.
Following the win he said via Facebook: “Let me say thank you to all my fans across the world, we did it. I enjoyed myself, and I thank you for your support. I can’t win them all, but when I win I win for all of you.”
De Bear became the Montserrat calypso monarch last December and was expected to represent the island at the upcoming Leeward Island Calypso Monarch competition in Anguilla. With this win, he became immersed in a controversy over his choice to represent either island there. So the congratulations poured in, so were the comments and criticisms as to who he should choose to represent and who he should properly represent.
But DeBear after capturing Montserrat’s 2014/2015 calypso monarch crown, and beating off all competition to capture the coveted title in Antigua Sunday night, spoke to reporters and on ZJB radio. “Well I’m still proud to accomplish such steep mountains where a lot of people and even me my-self had doubts where they would never allow me to win both crowns at the same time and it’s really a good thing to accomplish in my fear and I just want to say it’s through hard work and dedication and believing in my-self and believing in the people that surround me,’ he said.
Meanwhile, he expressed his confidence as he savoured under the calypso throne once again, monarch Keithroy ‘DeBear’ Morson has said that his sights were now set on capturing the Leeward Islands title.
After his first coronation since 2012 when he last took the local and Leeward’s calypso title. That was the last time Antigua won the regional crown. The King says he expected to be in Anguilla by Wednesday for the competition to be held on tomorrow night. DeBear said that the two winning songs he sang in the finals in Antigua “Can’t Stop DeBear” and “Sing a Different Song” were definitely strong enough to capture the regional title.
DeBear’s decision to represent Antigua in Antguilla heats up the debates, criticisms and discussions.
The controversy heated up and the debates and discussions ensued while DeBear made it clear his decision and why his choice which according to him he didn’t have, citing professional reasons, dismissing the ritics. “Well everybody have a right for their own opinion and I also have a right to make a decision that I think is in my best interest,” he said, as he tells that he is under contract to Antigua in the circumstances.
“The decision for me to represent Antigua was hard but I had to make a decision when I want to continue to sing in Antigua or give up what I’ve worked so hard for all these years and that is to go over there and show them that Montserrat could go anywhere and be anything they want to be. I’m a born Montserratian, there is no rule that can bar me from singing in Montserrat because I’m a born Montserratian,” he declared.
“But they have put in place – the process – that I cannot represent two countries; so I have to make up my mind whether I want to sing in Antigua or in sing for Montserrat,” he said. This we expect to mean he had to agree in order to compete in Antigua.
We will report more on the final debates which continued right into the eve of the Anguilla competition which saw Montserrat’s first runner-up Earl ‘Hustler’ Brown declining because the time was too short for preparation, followed by the acceptance by second runner up Garnet ‘Sylk’ Thompson.
Reports are that the Montserrat Arts Council confirmed that position where Garnet ‘Sylk’ Thompson will participate in Saturday’s show. Sources explained that Garnet was selected after efforts to convince the first runner up Earl ‘Hustler’ Brown failed.
More on this after the show in Anguilla tomorrow night.
Sharissa is named 1st Runner-Up at Nevis Miss Caribbean Culture pageant
Did she miss out on a deserved double?
It is not unusual for decades now for Montserrat to smile and walk away. But while basking in her history-making 2015/2016 Antigua Miss Jaycees win and more glory for Montserrat as DeBear recaptures the Antigua calypso monarch crown, Miss Montserrat 2014/2015, Sharissa Ryan was riding high.
As the plans for her return home well in place, despite being adjudged first runner up Wednesday night in the Nevis Caribbean Culture Queen pageant in Charlestown, where the title was won by Miss Nevis Akesha Fergus, with Miss Dominica Odessa Mara Ellie, second runner up.
The celebrated Sharissa also took pride of place in the segment results. She roped in, the best promotional video, best talent, best evening wear. She was also Miss photogenic. Her entourage, two chaperones in her sister Coretta Ryan and Mrs. Penny Maloney explained later that no points were awarded the video and Miss photogenic spots.
She arrived home on the evening of Tuesday, August 4, to a planned event especially then, for the islands first Antigua Jaycees beauty show. Miss Ryan upstaged the other ten beauties from across the region to take the honors on July 26 in Antigua.
She was greeted by a number of officials to include Premier the Honorable Don Romeo, the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for culture Gregory Willock and permanent secretary in the office of the Premiere and number of other officials to include the Hon Attorney General. The, cultural department was well represented along with the Honorable Minister Claude Hogan responsible for Communications and Works and also Parliamentary Secretary David Osborne.
The official welcome prepared by the MAC who invited the whole of Montserrat to turn up at the John Osborne airport to join in the celebration for Miss Ryan’s notable achievement. Everyone was asked to wear green and to bring along something green to participate in a wave party. After interviews and a brief photo shoot session a motorcade followed to the site used for the last St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Salem.
At the airport Miss Ryan who had previously expressed her love and gratefulness for the support she received from everyone, especially her family told her reporters as she spoke of her experience and responded to whether she has any eyes for Miss World or Miss Universe, drawing the observation that she had already done her research.
She spoke of the Arts Council and the other groups here that deal with the pageants, “It is in order for them to make contact with those committees to organize. I know for sure Miss Universe – its a lot of funding that goes into it. For those pageants in particular your country has to have a franchise in order to even enter to be considered, she said.
Speaking of the future and a definite interest: “Yes, I’ve done my research. I am definitely interested in participating and hopefully with this win in Jaycees and even you know coming first runner up in Miss Caribbean Culture Queen I think it definitely puts me in a very good position for the government to support me in doing one of those bigger pageants,” Sharissa optimistically concluded.
“I do want to encourage others out there to participate because it can be done again and I definitely want that to be the take home point that it can be done again.” Mrs. Maloney graciously said in support of the idea: “I am willing to help again in the future maybe not this year because I do have some other priorities but I’m willing to help and to give advice and to at least help them know what to expect, how to prepare because now we know what the winning formula is and we’re very open to sharing that with everybody.”
This was later followed by an official reception at the Olveston House hosted by the Hon. Premiere’s office. There the Hon. Donaldson Romeo told the guests. “What is important to me is that this young lady and every time I mention her name I must mention her sister and her family, she is the result of parents who left Montserrat, who love Montserrat, who trained their children to love Montserrat; they have returned to Montserrat with one mission in mind…”
“There are many people who love Montserrat daily, they are examples of what Montserratians overseas want to bring to this country…it’s time for us to unite,” he said, “and my dear we have mentioned that you will be an ambassador for Montserrat. She’s going to be our first queen ambassador…
“I’m hoping on behalf of the government that you are going to be the ambassador to begin to bring Montserratians together, you have that opportunity now, you are beautiful, you are smart and again you love Montserrat,” he told Miss Montserrat, Sharissa Ryan.
see more photos at The Montserrat Reporter Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153174561885852.1073742038.203080105851&type=3
Photos in Nevis by Wayne Fenton – Montserrat by Bennette Roach
