The lush and tranquil setting of the Jamaica Pegasus hotel garden was the venue for the launch of Heineken Green Synergy Jamaica 2008.

The turnout was not anything to write home about last Wednesday, however, the atmosphere was quite enthralling and the mood awesome. DJ Inferno ensured that the music set the tone for the launch of what was later described as the best disc-jock competition there is in the Caribbean.

Deidra James of FAME FM was given emceeing duties, and she executed well as she introduced the audience to the sixth staging of the Green Synergy Competition.

The concept for the 2008 Heineken Green Synergy Competition will be more interactive as it will seek to make the public more involved in the competition. From information disclosed by the emcee, THE STAR has learnt that Green Synergy will take on a reality television format. Reality TV has become a craze worldwide, and the idea is that it will become a tool to broaden the audience base of the Green Synergy competition.

Auditions for this year's competition have already been completed and the 16 finalists were chosen from over 80 entries islandwide. Jamaica and the rest of the world will get a chance to see how the auditions went, as CVM TV is onboard as television partner and will be showing clips of the auditions, as well as the brewing moments leading up to the finals.

Simone Clarke-Cooper, executive producer, FAME FM, described the 12 weeks leading up to the local finals as tense, while Frederique Asberg, country manager of Heineken, said it (Heineken Green Synergy Jamaica 2008) would be the best yet. CVM Television's Winford Williams reiterated their sentiments.

The competition will be staged over 12 weeks with weekly play-offs on CVM TV and FAME FM. The judging panel will include the likes of Kurt Riley and Colin Hines who will have 66 per cent say, while the remaining 24 per cent belongs to the public.