By Leighton Williams, Staff Reporter 
Ayesha Matthews performs her dub poem 'Dem Tell Me Of A Land' at the Miss Old Harbour Festival Queen Competition on Sunday. Ayesha was one of the seven contestants vying for the opportunity to represent the community of Old Harbour at the parish level of the competition. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
EDUCATOR NICKESIA Jackson and receptionist Tabeta Williams were, on Sunday night, given the nod by the judges at the Miss Old Harbour Festival Queen competition to represent that community at the parish level later this month.
Nickesia and Tabeta finished first and second respectively from a field of seven contestants.
The seven entrants in the competition were: Terryann Foster, who wore the sash Miss Bo-Jack Engineering; Aroba Bernard, Miss Hibiscus Guest House; Ashane Gordon, Miss Combine Communication; Nemone Bryan, Miss Best Bakery; Tabeta Williams, Miss Glendon Court; Ayesha Matthews, Miss Ascot Hall and Nickesia Jackson, Miss Quick Start.
Nickesia, who emerged crowd favourite after the talent section, ensured her victory in the question and answer segment. This occurred after the field was narrowed down to five contestants, and Nickesia was asked: 'If You Were Member of Parliament, what would you suggest to correct the problem of flooding in Big Pond?'
Her response to the question was dumping up the pond, or creating an alternate route as well as building a proper drainage system for the area. Her response was met with huge cheers. From then on, there was no doubt who the winner would be.
Tabeta cemented her place when she performed My First Real Love as well as managing to woo the audience with her personality.
The night started with the girls doing an African dance. However, the audience, while welcoming the dance, were more eager to see their favourite persons.
The girls did not disappoint. Coming on-stage in casual wear, they each introduced themselves and informed the audience about their career goals.
However, that was just the beginning. The talent section proved to be the 'make or break' segment.
Ayesha Matthews opened up the segment with her dub poem called 'Dem Tell Me Of A Land' which created quite a stir among the patrons, who by this time had almost taken up all the seats. However, it was Nickesia Jackson who stole the segment with her poem 'Jamaican Woman'.
While the other contestants did well, Nickesia had already stamped her class on the event. Aroba Bernard did well depicting a obeah woman, as did Ashane Gordon with her imitation of a Rastafarian with the poem 'Dread Song'.
If the formal wear section was the one that decided the eventual winner, then Ayesha Matthews would have won with her outfit, which represented the theme 'Be Bold in Red, Black, Green and Gold'. In fact, so good was Ayesha's dress that the contestant walked away with the sectional prize for 'Best Gown'.
The girls, who were all presented to the audience for the final time in the formal wear section, were encouraged to smile by the patrons in the venue. The audience's encouragement was justified since some of the girls seemed unable to put forward a genuine smile for the entire period.
However, it was the question and answer segment that put the icing on the cake as to who would represent Old Harbour.
The five girls chosen for the question and answer section were: Nickesia Jackson, Nemone Bryan, Tabeta Williams, Aroba Bernard and Ashane Gordon.
While all the girls started off shakily, they managed to redeem themselves in the end and did well with their responses. Jackson, however, stood out in the end.
Apart from finishing second, which saw her being awarded $8,000, Tabeta Williams also took home the sectional prizes 'Most Congenial' and 'Best Personality'.
There were other sectional prizes. Ashane Gordon walked away with $4,000 for her third place finish, while Terryann Foster was voted the 'Most Improved Contestant'.
