Former Miss World, Lisa Hanna, looks to Toni-Ann's reign

BY RICHARD JOHNSON Observer senior reporter johnsonr@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, December 15, 2019

Lisa Hanna

Jamaica's third Miss World, Lisa Hanna, was also in a congratulatory mood following Toni-Ann Singh's victory at Miss World on Saturday.

Hanna, who won the pageant in Sun City, South Africa as an 18-year-old, has literally grown up in the gaze of the Jamaican people to become a Member of Parliament and former youth and culture minister. She shared her pride on Jamaica's win 26 years after she accomplished the same feat.

“I am proud of Toni-Ann Singh beyond words.. all of Jamaica is proud of her. She has lifted the mood of our country. She is a special young woman who is not only talented, confident and intelligent, but she captures the Jamaican spirit which surpasses all understanding. I look forward to watching her carry our flag high as she steps onto the world's stage being supremely Jamaican and showing the world who we really are as a people, not only in terms of beauty, but in terms of spirit.”

Lisa Hanna

Toni Ann Singh

Hanna swept the title at the 43rd edition of the pageant on November 27, 1993 at the Sun City Entertainment Centre. This was the second, consecutive staging of the pageant in South Africa at the end of the apartheid regime in that country. That year, the pageant attracted 81 contestants and Hanna's runners up were Palesa Mofokeng of South Africa in second spot, while Ruffa Gutierrez of the Philippines was third.

At the time of her win Hanna was a host on the weekly television magazine show for teens, Rappin'.