The contestants of the 2009 Mr and Miss SLHTA pageant have had the week off from work, but it is not for some R&R. Far from this. The six ladies and three gents have been busy this week rehearsing their opening number as well as their individual talent in preparation for the big event which goes down this Saturday October 24 at the Gaiety on Rodney Bay from 8 pm.

Our profiles today take us to Windjammer Villa Beach Resort & Spa where we find Miguelta Renata St Ange and Andreas Francis.

Twenty-six-year-old Miguelita St Ange is Miss Windjammer, who loves modeling, dancing, singing in the shower, reading and traveling. A past student of the Corinth Secondary School she is presently employed at the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort and Spa where she is a Restaurant Cashier. This position she says allows her to experience working in all five restaurants of the hotel.

Miguelita comes into this event just a few weeks before the main-event, but is confident she will do well. She is no stranger to the stage and had lived in New York for three years where she worked as a runway and mannequin model. Her career goal she says is to become a computer engineer and she has already completed her first year at the ITT Technical Institute.

Her thoughts on tourism: “I am proud to see where we are now with the development of tourism in St Lucia, however, I think for it to be even more successful all of St Lucia, every hotelier, every organization, and every person must unite for a bigger success story of our tourism.”

Andreas Francis is the male contestant representing Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort and Spa. The 21-year-old hails from Bois Patat in Castries and is employed at Windjammer in the water sports department as a pool attendant. At work he says he enjoys being able to converse with different personalities, searching for additional ways to make their vacation stay more entertaining and relaxing.

“Exceeding my guests’ expectations gives me a natural high,” he says. When you get to know him you may also find that he is somewhat of an amphibian since he enjoys being in the water just as much as he enjoys being out of it having fun.

In his spare time, Andreas loves singing and has even recorded a single with a friend and would like to go further in the performing arts. He has fond memories of inviting his mom out to Karaoke one day, singing to her for the first time and seeing the expression of joy on her face. That moment he says lives on in his memory, but the thought of winning this pageant may very well be right up there with it.