It has been a few years since the Guyanese community in the United Kingdom were treated to a show of talent, beauty and finesse. All roads led to the Brixton town Hall last Saturday night (17th November 2012) as Kaiteur Entertainments pulled out all the stops to stage a long missed, Miss Guyana UK Pageant 2012.
Typical of Guyanese people the men were dressed in their Sunday best some looking more elegant than James Bond 007, while the women were not to be left out as they donned incredible dresses, single piece, two piece and even three piece outfits.
It was truly a night to behold and the atmosphere was set for an event that has been long accustomed to very large expectant audiences given the reputation of the calibre of the show.
The main organisers Tracey and Felicia Benjamin ably assisted by Lorraine Williams, Contestant Liaison and Mentor; Herman Nurse, Floor Manager; Ashane, Contestant Escort along with Gillian Bernard and Neville Johnson, the presenters delivered a show that arguably ranks among the best beauty pageants staged so far this year.
With a strong and supremely experienced panel of judges the contestants and the audience were sure due care and attention would be exercised to ensure the most deserving contestant won.
The panel comprised Angela Cox Director for Miss Trinidad & Tobago UK, Angel Sinclair Director for Models of Diversity, Beverley Fraser Miss Guyana UK 1996, Bonnie Lock International Super Model, Nick Reynolds International Award Fashion Photographer, Duke Chaudhray London Fashion Production Executive, Sherine Brand Director Brand-U, Dr Patrick Williams Adjudicator and Enjane Rhule Assistant Adjudicator.
Adding to the splendour of the evening was a touch of regality as His Excellency the High Commissioner for Guyana and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps Mr Laleshwar Kumar Narayan Singh graced the venue with his presence and delivered an excellent pledge of support to the organisers and the pageant while complementing them on a job well done.
In spite of the many standees the general atmosphere was one of optimism and excitement as a sense of camaraderie between those seated and those standing saw some folks sharing seats and taking turns to sit. In the end everyone saw and enjoyed the show and united in praise for a well thought out program.
Though there were many segments that stood out for creativity and impact, the best by far, judging from everyone’s was the James Bond simulation section where the hunk like escorts of the contestants appeared dressed as the legenday Ian Flemming figure 007 and struck cheeky poses with their assigned contestant to the theme song of James Bond provided by the experienced DJ Shogun. This segment was incredible to watch and clearly showed the level of creativity and imagination invested in this come back Miss Guyana pageant.
Shows such as this cannot survive without corporate support with the main or title sponsor being Caribbean Airlines. Other sponsors include Panache Occasions, Grace Foods and M.A.H Bros Cash & Carry and SnowflakeGems to name a few.
SnowflakeGems provided a special gift to the first runner up winner, Miss Zena Bland, at the end of the pageant. This bespoke design and gemstones used in this jewellery gift was specifically created to represent the land and people of Guyana .
It is also meant to be worn with pride and used as a stepping stone for Miss Bland to speak about the attributes of Guyana when people ask about this jewellery as she wears it. She is a worthy contestant winner as during the question and answer segment of the pageant she stated that she wants to promote a more positive image of Guyana. After the pageant she was telling us that she loves speaking to people with every chance she gets about her native land.
In summary a good time was had by all and the general concensus is that the event was a success and should return bigger and better in 2013. CaribDirect.com congratulates the team on a superior job and look forward to working with the team again next year!
