PJD2 runner-up says reluctance
from sponsor discourages youth
~ Grandma gave pension to help her compete ~
PHILIPSBURG--Joada Carty is proud of herself for outdoing 23 other contestants to place fourth in the recently concluded PJD2 Caribbean Queen Pageant, but the treatment she received from potential sponsors prior to the competition has left her with a sense of bitterness.
The 20-year-old model said she was initially excited to compete in the pageant, but the events that unfolded in the run up to the competition and the reluctance of potential sponsors to back her has left her disappointed.
Carty said she had initially wanted to enter the Senior Carnival Queen Pageant, but she was told that the registration was closed. She was then told about the PJD2 Pageant and gladly signed up. The aspiring entrepreneur said she was initially told that she would have represented Dutch St. Maarten, even after enquiring about it several times. This was initially reflected on the pageant website.
However,a little over two weeks before the pageant she was told that she would be representing French St. Martin, even though she is Dutch and resides in Dutch St. Maarten. This is where Carty said her troubles had deepened. She said she had been forced to change several aspects of her performance, including adjusting her skit, speech and her national costume.
Many of the businesses that had initially expressed interest in sponsoring her also pulled out with the excuse that they couldn’t sponsor her because she was representing French St. Martin. Many of them had been also critical of her local accent. “I don’t think it mattered which side of the island I represented because, for me, it’s one island with one culture and one history. Besides, I am also from the Dutch side,” Carty said Sunday.
She had also made a request to a government department for sponsorship to the tune of US $2,500, but her request was reportedly turned down because she was representing French St. Martin. Carty and her sister Alida Brown said the department had showed willingness to assist, but the final decision had been out of their hands.
“My sister went to find out about the sponsorship every day, but she was told to come back tomorrow,” Joada said. “I would have preferred if they had said no from the beginning than having us going back and forth.”
In total, she spent US $5,000 to offset expenses to compete in the pageant, most of which was secured from a few small businesses, close family and friends and her grandmother who gave her pension money to help. Carty said she was still in debt for about $1,500.
She feels discouraged and said the system of not supporting youth who want to engage in positive and meaningful activities was disheartening. She said she would not be participating in any other local pageants.
