Boka Group Celebrates Contestant

The Boka Group is proud to be associated with Saint Lucia Carnival 2015 through its sponsorship of one of the contestants in this year’s National Carnival Queen Pageant, to be held on July 4. The contestant is Miss Kadijha Mason who was celebrated by the Boka Group at a special cocktail reception at the Cap Estate residence of the group chairman, John Kennedy on Thursday evening.

The Boka group is embarking on tourism related projects at the Belvedere plantation and Mahaut Estate here. The group recently demonstrated its social responsibility by embarking on the “School for Thought Program”, which provides much relief to students attending school in Bouton and Canaries.

The Carnival Planning and Management Agency (CPMA) was represented at Thursday’s special cocktail reception. According to chairman Lyndon Arnold the reception offered by the Boka group spoke to the renewed excitement and interest in the National Carnival Queen Pageant which he believed would be one of the best this year. Directing his remarks at the chairman of the Boka Group, Arnold said, “I also believe that it will be one of our best carnivals yet and it is not far-fetched to picture you in a costume in the not too distant future! it is truly an amazing experience.”

“This is something new for us, and nobody, incidentally, told me anything about wearing a costume,” Kennedy commented later with a chuckle. He further stated, “I would like to say that since Boka started in Saint Lucia we have been keen on not just the tourism sector but we have been very interested in cultural and touristic events that are taking place in the country and we have been happy to support and we have been involved in and witnessing various things.

“This year I discovered we were sponsors and so I said, ‘Fine, where do I sign?’ and they said, ‘Well we have signed already.’ So I was delighted to hear that and I want to wish all the contestants the best of luck, ours just a tad more.”

The tourism and creative industries minister, Lorne Theophilus also offered a few brief remarks on Thursday. “In terms of the Boka Group and what I believe will be the most exciting queen pageant we have ever had during our carnival, while the queen show is billed to be the best we have had, we are excited about the collaboration we have had between Saint Lucia and the Boka Group. I want to thank John specifically. I mean, the acceptance to be a sponsor was the quickest and most seamless that we have had and it is endemic of the spirit of collaboration we have had between the Boka Group and Saint Lucia.”

Kadijha Mason who was presented with a special bouquet on the evening expressed her joy at being chosen as Miss Boka and thanked the company for its faith and confidence in her. “I am really excited about not just the pageant but learning about the Boka Group and I promise to do my best the night of the pageant,” Mason said.

Thursday’s cocktail reception was attended by six of the other contestants (there are eight in total), president of the Senate Claudius Francis, members of the organizing committee for the pageant and other invited guests.