Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine January 2020 | Page 258

November 1st, 2019 saw the re-birth of the
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Pageant,
which was last held 20 years ago. The revived pageant
was hosted by the island of Dominica under the theme:
Celebrating Harmonization and Integration in Pageantry.
One contestant from six Eastern Caribbean member states
participated. Earlyca Frederick, representing the member
state of Saint Lucia, placed 1st.
Miss OECS 2019
Earlyca Frederick
representing Saint Lucia
“I was fortunate to have
been raised as Choiseulian
Royalty by my grandparents,
who helped instill the
fundamentals of hard work,
love, empathy and humility in
me”, Earlyca, the Miss OECS
2019 proudly stated. Her
mother being the primary
breadwinner of the family, she
moved from the southwestern
village of Choiseul, to the
city Castries, to earn a living,
however, she made sure
Earlyca was safe and all
her needs were being met.
“It takes a village to raise a
child,” Earlyca said when she
recalled the many individuals
of her extended family who
played significant roles in her
upbringing.
At the tender age of three,
Earlyca was introduced to
and won her first pageant.
Some of her family members
were always involved in the
organization of pageants,
and others would actively
participate as contestants.
“I was impregnated with a
love for the art form” she
said and “the experience
propelled me into a life of
a pageant enthusiast and
serial contestant.” Her titles
include 2nd runner-up Miss
Choiseul Parish teen 2012,
Miss Choiseul Secondary and
Miss VFCSS 2016, 1st runner-
up Miss Independence 2018,
National Carnival Queen 2018,
1st runner-up Miss Jaycees
International and now the
reigning Miss OECS 2019.
Earlyca considered the Miss
OECS pageant to be a natural
progression in her pageant
journey. “I have always
envisioned myself on the
global stage and endeavored
to be an ambassador for
St. Lucia as a Miss Universe
contestant”, but The Miss
OECS Pageant posed a
new challenge to her. “. . .
Contesting in a country I had
never been to, whose culture