Miss Guyana Universe pageant returns

After a one-year hiatus Miss Guyana Universe is back and Guyanese may see 15 — the number is still to be decided — contestants face off on the National Cultural Centre stage come June 27.

Melessa Payne
Melessa Payne

Manager of the pageant Nicolette Lumumba said the committee is in the process of collecting applications from prospective contestants and this process closes on May 18.

She said the committee hopes to have 12 to 15 contestants on stage and the winner will represent Guyana at the Miss Universe pageant set for the Bahamas on August 23.

The last pageant was held in 2007 with the crown going to catwalk model Meleesa Payne. Miss Guyana Universe franchise holder Odinga Lumumba was subsequently involved in an accident and there was no pageant last year.

As usual the contestants for this year’s pageant will compete in three segments: interview, swim suit and evening gown. For a number of years, the interview segment has been conducted prior to the pageant night and on live television.

Nicolette said the pageant is dubbed ‘The Quest’ as in previous years and the committee is focused on selecting a winner who could represent Guyana. As for the pageant itself it is expected to be “short and powerful”.

Persons interested in applying can contact Nicolette Lumumba on telephone number 629-0774 and Artistic Director Dereck Moore on 663-8213 and 220-0691.

This week Moore was in Berbice, at the Tain Campus and the Little Rock Hotel, while Nicolette journeyed to Essequibo to seek out contestants.