Contestants vying for the 2016 Miss World Bahamas crown at the Launch party. (Photo: Miss Bahamas Organization)
The 2016 Miss Bahamas Beauty Pageant to choose the new Miss World Bahamas got off to a roaring start on July 1 with the official "I am every woman" Launch Party sponsored by Bahari Bahamas. The much-anticipated event did not disappoint as nine women were formally introduced as contestants in the country's most prestigious pageant following their television debut on the reality TV series "Road to the Crown" days earlier.
The ladies were stunning in edgy but sophisticated dresses provided by Bahari Bahamas, a second-year Miss Bahamas sponsor that will also be providing a full wardrobe for the new Miss World Bahamas.
"We are very enthusiastic about our partnership with the Miss Bahamas Organization this year," said Bahari's Brand Manager, Eduardo Collie. "I am every woman really speaks to the core ethos of our female customer base -- stunning, intelligent and versatile women that represent a spectrum of beauty."
In addition to sponsoring the launch event, Bahari will award one of the young ladies a one-year, $5,000 endorsement contract to become the next face of Bahari.
Their physical appearance aside, equally impressive was the delegates' presentations as they spoke about their platform and how they intend to impact the community, during the launch event at the Melia Nassau Beach, the official home of the Miss Bahamas Pageant.
The general public can not only watch the crowning of the new Miss World live on July 24, via pay-per-view broadcast, but will also help to select the winner by voting in real time. Voting duties for the general public began with the reality TV show, which airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Our TV for the remaining weeks leading up to the pageant. The show introduces the contestants to the public by showcasing the young ladies during interviews, challenges, activities and preliminary competitions.
The TV audience votes for their favorite contestants via the new Miss Bahamas app, available on Google Play or IOS on Android or iPhone devices. The votes are cumulative, and Miss Bahamas Organization (MBO) officials say it is vital for fans to continue voting for their favorites because their votes account for 25 percent of the contestants scores to determine which five will escape the dreaded "chopping block" -- the hot seats reserved for the contestants whose combined preliminary scores and votes are the lowest in the competition.
The contestants who find themselves on the chopping block on the day of the finale will face automatic elimination. The public will then be given the chance to instantly save only one of them to continue on in the competition during an interactive live vote in real time.
The new Miss Bahamas app makes the voting process easy. The app is free to download and features contestants' photos, profiles and interviews, and a behind-the-scenes look at their lives as Miss Bahamas contestants via personally uploaded photos and videos. Those without smart phones wanting to vote can do so at MBO's revamped website www.missbahamas.net.
"Our new queen will truly be the queen of the Bahamian people, so it is only fitting that the people should help to choose her," says MBO President Michelle Malcolm.
"Now that we are focusing on only one queen, we see this as an opportunity to redirect our energies into ensuring that our program truly reflects our mandate of passion for pageantry with purpose, and that our new winner fulfills the tenet of the Miss World pageant Beauty with a Purpose with distinction. With all of our new alliances and sponsors, we expect that our new queen will be very busy, very visible, and very impactful. She's going to have an incredible year."
Pageant fans are encouraged to frequently visit the Miss Bahamas Beauty Pageant Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and soon-to-come SnapChat accounts for updates.
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