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Lisa Hanna for SE St. Ann - if Singapore can do it...
Beauty queens, politics and demonstrations
BY PATRICK FOSTER Sunday Observer writer fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, June 10, 2007
FORMER Miss World Lisa Hanna's foray into representational politics is certainly not the first for a beauty contestant, but hers appears to be the most tumultuous.
With the General Elections due by October this year, Hanna's selection by the People's National Party (PNP) as representative for the vacant South East St Ann seat has drawn the ire of her potential constituents. It has also sparked intense public discussions about the timing, her eligibility and her capability of functioning as a politician.
After almost a week of constituency protests and party meetings, it was revealed last Friday that Hanna's name was not on the voters' list. But the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) said this would not prevent Hanna from running as MP.
"Persons do not have to be on the voters' list to run for the position of Member of Parliament," an EOJ official told the Sunday Observer last Friday afternoon.
"For the local government election, however, representatives must be on the voters' list in the parish," the official explained.
All over the globe, albeit not commonplace, winning beauty contestants have faced up to the rigours of representational politics after their reign.
Former Singapore Miss Universe contestant, Eunice Olsen, for example, has won a seat in her nation's Parliament in what reports say may become the easiest contest of her career.
Aside from the 84 elected MPs, Singapore's political system allows for nine nominated MPs, who are appointed by a special parliamentary committee to reflect independent non-partisan views.
At age 27, Olsen won the Miss Singapore Universe title in 2000 and, seven years later, will become the country's youngest Member of Parliament.
For Hanna, the former Miss World 1993, it won't be as easy. The debates around her selection as a PNP candidate questions not only her capability or the timing of the move, but also the fact that Hanna does not live or work in the area in which she was selected to represent.
The residents say they want a representative who knows the area. Common among the comments, is that Hanna, who is now 32 years old, should have gained experience in the political sphere before being selected so close to an election.
Hanna could not be reached for a comment late last week, but is expected to break her silence this week.
But Mickey Haughton-James, local franchise holder of the Miss World pageant, feels that the negative response to Hanna's choice is based largely on sexism.
"I believe that if they had named a male athlete or some other male celebrity, there would not be that kind of fallout," Haughton-James said.
According to Haughton-James, the public is still thinking of Hanna as the 18-year-old beauty contestant who won the Miss World title, but says he feels that she has always displayed positive leadership qualities. Besides, he said Hanna's work has been accepted even outside of Jamaica.
"When you look at Lisa's background, she had done quite a bit even before entering the (Miss Jamaica) contest in 1993, said Haughton-James.
Haughton-James said that a young Hanna blazed a trail as head girl at her alma mater, The Queen's School, and was a co-host for the television programme Rappin'. Hanna, he said, also worked in conjunction with UNICEF to spearhead the Jamaican candlelight vigils to launch the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, and became one of the youngest United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors ever to be appointed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jamaica.
"She went to the Miss World contest already selected as a United Nations goodwill ambassador. That is not something that is given willy-nilly," said Haughton-James.
Social work has always been a part of Hanna's interests, Haughton-James asserted, adding that she was recently given the keys to the city of Fort Lauderdale in the US.
"She has trained over 2,000 Jamaican children in character development through the 'Lisa Hanna Workshop', and taught women in skills training programmes in Jones Town," Haughton-James said.
Hanna, if successful, would be the first Miss Jamaica and local beauty contestant to break with the status quo, casting aside the role of simply being a politician's wife.
Hanna has at least three other international beauty contestants-turned-politician that she can look to for inspiration.
In Finland, there's Tanja Saarela, Minister of Culture who held the title of Miss Finland and represented her country in the Miss Universe pageant in 1991. Saarela was elected to the Finnish Parliament in 1999 and appointed minister in 2003.
Venezuela actually has more than one beauty queen entering the rough world of politics. Mona Saez Conde, a Miss Universe contestant in 1981, went on to serve as mayor of the municipality of Chacao, according to the Miss Universe website.
In addition, Barbara Teyde, Miss Universe winner in 1986, served as the Minister of Tourism of Venezuela.
And Miss World 1970, Jennifer Hosten of Grenada, graced the world of politics with her charm and beauty, serving as that country's High Commissioner to Canada. Recently, she has worked to improve trade between the USA and Caribbean, and has written a book on the subject, according to the Miss World Website.
Former Miss World and Miss Universe winners have chosen careers from special constable to medicine, but mostly their interests after winning the crown take them into fashion or entertainment.
"Former titleholders continue to make great strides in their communities and the nation through their chosen professions or philanthropic work. Whether they choose careers in the medical, legal, business, civic, political, entertainment arenas, or choose motherhood, our titleholders continue their legacy of empowerment and activism throughout their lives," a statement on the Miss World website said.
BY PATRICK FOSTER Sunday Observer writer fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, June 10, 2007
FORMER Miss World Lisa Hanna's foray into representational politics is certainly not the first for a beauty contestant, but hers appears to be the most tumultuous.
With the General Elections due by October this year, Hanna's selection by the People's National Party (PNP) as representative for the vacant South East St Ann seat has drawn the ire of her potential constituents. It has also sparked intense public discussions about the timing, her eligibility and her capability of functioning as a politician.
After almost a week of constituency protests and party meetings, it was revealed last Friday that Hanna's name was not on the voters' list. But the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) said this would not prevent Hanna from running as MP.
"Persons do not have to be on the voters' list to run for the position of Member of Parliament," an EOJ official told the Sunday Observer last Friday afternoon.
"For the local government election, however, representatives must be on the voters' list in the parish," the official explained.
All over the globe, albeit not commonplace, winning beauty contestants have faced up to the rigours of representational politics after their reign.
Former Singapore Miss Universe contestant, Eunice Olsen, for example, has won a seat in her nation's Parliament in what reports say may become the easiest contest of her career.
Aside from the 84 elected MPs, Singapore's political system allows for nine nominated MPs, who are appointed by a special parliamentary committee to reflect independent non-partisan views.
At age 27, Olsen won the Miss Singapore Universe title in 2000 and, seven years later, will become the country's youngest Member of Parliament.
For Hanna, the former Miss World 1993, it won't be as easy. The debates around her selection as a PNP candidate questions not only her capability or the timing of the move, but also the fact that Hanna does not live or work in the area in which she was selected to represent.
The residents say they want a representative who knows the area. Common among the comments, is that Hanna, who is now 32 years old, should have gained experience in the political sphere before being selected so close to an election.
Hanna could not be reached for a comment late last week, but is expected to break her silence this week.
But Mickey Haughton-James, local franchise holder of the Miss World pageant, feels that the negative response to Hanna's choice is based largely on sexism.
"I believe that if they had named a male athlete or some other male celebrity, there would not be that kind of fallout," Haughton-James said.
According to Haughton-James, the public is still thinking of Hanna as the 18-year-old beauty contestant who won the Miss World title, but says he feels that she has always displayed positive leadership qualities. Besides, he said Hanna's work has been accepted even outside of Jamaica.
"When you look at Lisa's background, she had done quite a bit even before entering the (Miss Jamaica) contest in 1993, said Haughton-James.
Haughton-James said that a young Hanna blazed a trail as head girl at her alma mater, The Queen's School, and was a co-host for the television programme Rappin'. Hanna, he said, also worked in conjunction with UNICEF to spearhead the Jamaican candlelight vigils to launch the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, and became one of the youngest United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors ever to be appointed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Jamaica.
"She went to the Miss World contest already selected as a United Nations goodwill ambassador. That is not something that is given willy-nilly," said Haughton-James.
Social work has always been a part of Hanna's interests, Haughton-James asserted, adding that she was recently given the keys to the city of Fort Lauderdale in the US.
"She has trained over 2,000 Jamaican children in character development through the 'Lisa Hanna Workshop', and taught women in skills training programmes in Jones Town," Haughton-James said.
Hanna, if successful, would be the first Miss Jamaica and local beauty contestant to break with the status quo, casting aside the role of simply being a politician's wife.
Hanna has at least three other international beauty contestants-turned-politician that she can look to for inspiration.
In Finland, there's Tanja Saarela, Minister of Culture who held the title of Miss Finland and represented her country in the Miss Universe pageant in 1991. Saarela was elected to the Finnish Parliament in 1999 and appointed minister in 2003.
Venezuela actually has more than one beauty queen entering the rough world of politics. Mona Saez Conde, a Miss Universe contestant in 1981, went on to serve as mayor of the municipality of Chacao, according to the Miss Universe website.
In addition, Barbara Teyde, Miss Universe winner in 1986, served as the Minister of Tourism of Venezuela.
And Miss World 1970, Jennifer Hosten of Grenada, graced the world of politics with her charm and beauty, serving as that country's High Commissioner to Canada. Recently, she has worked to improve trade between the USA and Caribbean, and has written a book on the subject, according to the Miss World Website.
Former Miss World and Miss Universe winners have chosen careers from special constable to medicine, but mostly their interests after winning the crown take them into fashion or entertainment.
"Former titleholders continue to make great strides in their communities and the nation through their chosen professions or philanthropic work. Whether they choose careers in the medical, legal, business, civic, political, entertainment arenas, or choose motherhood, our titleholders continue their legacy of empowerment and activism throughout their lives," a statement on the Miss World website said.
We have better fish to fry!
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