Buzzz Caribbean Lifestyle Magazine

She says she wants its all. The embers of ambition are aglow in her beautiful brown eyes and you can tell that she's already on the way to achieving her stated mission and more.

Yendi Phillipps, Miss Jamaica World 2007, is bursting with supreme confidence and why shouldn't she? When you're statuesque, blessed with ravishing good looks and intelligence, the sky really is the limit. The 22 year-old model and dancer, who is completing her graduate degree in recreation and leisure management, plans to leave a lasting mark in the annals of world history.

She is proud to be an ambassador for Jamaica, and will be representing her country at the Miss World Pageant in Sanya, China later this year. Buzzz caught up with Yendi a few days after her coronation and chatted with her about the competition, family, and her passions in this life.

Buzzz Magazine: You won three of the four Miss Jamaica World mini competitions to cement your place in the top ten. Were you even a little surprised by your victory?
Yendi Phillipps: I wouldn't say surprised. I would say that I felt selected and I felt honoured to be the contestant wearing the crown. I think positively at all times so I wasn't surprised.

Winning the sports and talent competitions was great, but I did not expect to win the beach beauty competition. I still have a little meat in some areas that international standard requires a little less of and there were girls in the competition with really great bodies. But I felt that this could really happen for me when I was selected as the most aware…it's a key thing that got me excited.

BM: How important is family to you in your drive to success?
YP: I think family is one of the most important things in this world. I'm not just talking about blood family…your real family also includes those persons who really care about you and what you do in life. That support system is essential and it definitely keeps you grounded.

BM: So tell us the story behind your first name - Yendi.
YP: I know that my parents were going for something unique to represent me. My first name comes from a place in Ghana. Amira, which is my middle name, means princess in Lebanese. My father's mother is of Lebanese descent, so I guess the African and the Lebanese combination was what my parents were thinking about.

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Allison Fisher
- Snooker Champion impresses in Jamaica

It was a Friday evening and a larger than usual crowd was huddled around the snooker tables at the popular Peppers Nightclub on Upper Waterloo Road in St. Andrew. There wasn't a competition on, even though eager players were there. Actually, out of the five or six tables that were there, one commanded all the attention - the one being used by the acclaimed female Snooker Champion Allison Fisher.

After around twenty-two years in the game, with eight consecutives major wins under her belt in addition to others, this native of East Sussex, England is somewhat of a legend. Having played in the male snooker games and earned the moniker 'Duchess of Doom' on the United States circuit, she was more than well-received by the Jamaican snooker fans who watched her and listened intently to everything she had to say.

This special event was recently put on by Walter Robinson, a.k.a Stretch - the owner of MoBay Proper Sports Bar and Grill, Red Bull, Caribbean Producers Jamaica Limited (CPJ) and Pool Tables and Billiards Suppliers Limited.

Walter Robinson is something of an ambassador for snooker playing and he wanted to promote his beloved game by having a pro like Allison Fisher demonstrate how the game is played at the highest level. Fisher went through the evening fielding questions, showing the tricks of the game and talking and showcasing strategy. Mini competitions were held, with winners earning the right to play the snooker champion. They all lost of course.

At Peppers, Mobay Proper and Shock Waves bar in Mandeville, Fisher wanted to be up, close and personal with the fans so people could see the other side of her that they don't get to see on television. Most importantly, she also wanted to "promote the growth of the sport to show its fun for everyone". Judging from the reaction of those present at Peppers, it was clear that Fisher did what she came to Jamaica to do and more. For one snooker player and fan, Albert Chung, his dream literally came true when he played a game against her.

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Canada's reggae scene soars on Air Jamaica Day

The spirit of Jamaica was high in Toronto recently as the 4th annual Air Jamaica Day celebration unfolded at Brampton's Powerade Centre.

Well over 20,000 Jamaican/Canadians and other members of the wider Caribbean Diaspora crammed inside the spacious venue for a taste of all things Jamaican.

Air Jamaica Day, which coincides with the island's August 6 Independence celebration, is all about the airline's love and appreciation for its loyal and supportive customer base in the Toronto - a hub that it serves with daily flights since returning to that market in 2004.

Kaye Chung, Air Jamaica's community and special markets manager, expressed delight at the unfolding of the event and highlighted the airline's importance to Jamaicans living overseas.

"We're not just an airline to this market. When you come out of Jamaica and you're in a place like Toronto, Air Jamaica takes on a special meaning to our Jamaican community. They are proud of us and they see us as their ambassador and we serve them proudly," she said with a smile.

"Toronto is very important to us, as evidenced by our daily service to this city and the reason we are here is because we know that we have a large community and they want to support Air Jamaica. They have been supporting us," she continued.

The event itself was filled with amusement, frolic and excitement as patrons enjoyed live entertainment, giveaways and snapshots of "yaad".

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