I am Tarique Barrett, you're Mr. World Jamaica 2024. Heading to right now, Tarique Barrett! Mr. World Jamaica has left me feeling incredibly honored and overwhelmed. Nothing could have prepared me for this life-changing moment. I was an inner-city youth searching for a purpose and today I woke up to a new reality. The feeling is beyond words. As a trained athlete, I push myself to new limits. It has helped to build my mental resilience, teaching me to overcome challenges and persevere even when things get tough. By strengthening both body and mind, I prepare myself to excel in every aspect of life. From the runway to the classroom, every stride I take is led by purpose. I am pursuing a Bachelor's in Marketing and Accounting because I know that when you believe in yourself and put in the work to make them a reality, dreams are achievable. This is what you call sacrifice and persevere. This is what you call not giving up. Persevere through the challenges. So they never throw their hands up in the air and say, I can't walk. I come from humble beginnings and this is what I hope my life will demonstrate to the next generation. Empowering my community, especially the youth, to build a brighter future drives me every day. Through financial literacy, I want to break cycles of poverty by teaching them to make informed decisions about managing limited resources, saving and avoiding debt traps. Together, we can plan for the future and create opportunities for financial stability and growth. Jamaica is vibrant, bold and full of life. I carry the spirit of my island wherever I go and through this platform, I will share that with the world. As Mr World Jamaica, I'm here to represent you and your family. I'm here to support you. I'm here to help you. I'm here to support you. I'm here to support you. I'm here to support you. As Mr World Jamaica, I'm here to represent unity, strength and the power of dreams. I believe pageantry is about discovering oneself and gaining confidence. It's about advocating for a cause and not just looking polished and dressing in fancy clothes. Pageantry is for everyone with a purpose despite age, gender and background. Let's build a better tomorrow together.