Charlestown, Nevis
August 16, 2007
For Immediate Public Release
Top winner of the 2007 Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Foundation Children’s Essay Contest Ms. Christina Ram of the Charlestown Primary School, said that she looked forward to her trip to Cozumel Mexico, where she will receive her cash prize of US $3,000.
Ms. Ram who was accompanied by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Parikhan Ram of Ramsbury, during a visit to the Department of Tourism‘s offices at Bath Plain on Wednesday August 15, 2007, told the Department of Information, that she was looking forward to her visit and to return to Nevis with her monetary prize.
In a statement from the Department of Tourism, Local Contest Coordinator Ms. Vanessa Webbe, said that Ms. Ram and her chaperon (her parents Mr and Mrs Parikan Ram would receive an all expense paid trip to attend the opening ceremony of the FCCA Caribbean Cruise Conference on October 09, 2007 in Mexico.While on her trip, Ms. Ram would also be afforded the opportunity to read her winning essay and according to Ms. Webbe, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Tourism Hon. Joseph Parry, was invited to accept a $3000 cash prize on behalf of Ms. Ram’s school.
Students from Nevis have participated in the contest annually on the invitation of the FCCA. The contest is opened to the organisation’s partner destinations in the Caribbean and is aimed at the promotion of cruise tourism awareness among youth.
The annual contest was conducted in three rounds in the Junior and Senior Divisions. In the first round the contest was conducted in schools throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. The two winners selected from each school in each category were chosen by the teachers.
The winners were then submitted to the country’s selection committee who in turn chose a winner from each category. The winners of the second round would be submitted to the FCCA’s Selection Committee who determined a first, second and third place winner from both age categories from among the essays submitted from each participating country.
All finalists were rewarded for their efforts except the first, second and third place winners in each category received US $200.