‘Mr Jamaica’ Dorian Laird takes shot at regional title

Thirty-year-old Dorian Laird, a Black River, St Elizabeth native who holds the title of Mr Jamaica Ambassador 2023, is hoping that he can be an inspiration to young men.

"Having pageantry for males, it helps to build them, and it helps to bring inspiration to more men to inspire younger generations to come. I do believe that Jamaica really needs more competitions to help build men on a whole, to represent themselves in the best way possible, to inspire themselves first and to inspire others," he said.

"What we are seeing in our society, where masculinity is concerned, there is not much of an inspiration. And we have very few persons that go to a tertiary institution to do a degree or some certification that the persons of a younger age, like a 13-year-old or a 10-year-old, can look up to that male to say, 'I want to aspire to become a teacher or a lawyer, a doctor because of that inspiration'," he added.

Laird emerged the winner in the competition last December, out of a field of 17 hopefuls. He entered the competition, which is run by local pageant boss Wayne Bailey, to gain self-confidence and to prove himself. On June 1, Laird and 16 other competitors will battle for the top prize in the Mister Caribbean Island Continental competition, to be held in Curacao. He leaves the island on May 27.

Laird, who is completing a bachelor's degree in drama education at the Edna Maley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, has secured the support of his family, friends and church brethren, as he is confident that he will take home the title.

At last year's staging, Jamaican Chevaughn Montaque was first runner-up in the competion. Laird is hoping to go one place better.

"This is the first pageant I've entered and I've wanted to show a side of me that I have never shown before. I wanted to prove myself to myself. Before the pageant, I was a shy, reserved type of person; and the fact that I see myself as a motivational speaker, I saw where I could use this platform to become an outspoken person," said Laird, a graduate of Black River High School. "Preparation involves having a whole lot of question-and-answer sessions with my director [Bailey] and going to the gym, working on the walk and posture and poise."

Bailey is confident that Laird will claim the top prize, noting that he has been training assiduously in all areas. Competitors are expected to be judged for their formal wear, swimwear, talent piece, and the question-and-answer segment.

"I am hoping we can get more corporate sponsorship for this competition, That would be really good to bring awareness about it," Bailey stressed, adding that the competition is in its third year.