Miss Ja World gets new franchise holders

Mickey Haughton-James has once again relinquished his role as head of the Miss Jamaica World beauty pageant.

Haughton-James made the announcement via social media on Tuesday that he has passed the baton to Aston Cooke and Weston Haughton.

In a statement, Haughton-James said that Spartan Health Club has changed its focus, and is not geared towards the staging of the pageant, and in particular to the management of the affairs of the winner during her reign.

He also expressed a strong desire to travel more often for extensive periods in his "autumn years."

"Rest assured that I remain a friend of the pageant," he said.

This is the second time that Haughton-James has stepped down from the franchise. In 2013, he renounced his role after almost 40 years but reclaimed it last year.

Between 2013 and 2016, the competition was staged by Fusion Consultants Limited, which was lead by Laura Butler, a former Miss Jamaica World finalist and Miss Spartan Body Beautiful.

Spartan first became associated with the pageant back in 1976, when it was asked by the Miss World Organisation to send then gym instructor Cindy Breakspeare to that contest.

She subsequently won it, becoming Jamaica's second title-holder.

Spartan again tasted success in 1993, when Lisa Hanna won the Miss World title in Sun City, South Africa.

Cooke is one of Jamaica's leading playwrights. The recipient of nine national Actor Boy awards for outstanding achievement in various categories of theatre, he is an inductee in the Caribbean Hall of Fame for Arts and Culture for his contribution to Jamaican theatre over the years.

Among his most memorable works are River Mumma and the Golden Table, Oliver at Large, Front Room, Country Duppy, Concubine, and Jamaica 2 Rhatid.

He also served as chairman of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (2013-2016).

Weston Haughton is a former cultural director for the Sandals Group.