A lucrative prize package was handed over to Miss Guyana Universe Kara Lord on Sunday last at the Water Chris Hotel and five other contestants received their prizes as well.
Speaking at the ceremony, Miss Guyana Universe Franchise Holder Odinga Lumumba drew a comparison with the unfortunate situation that Miss Guyana World 2011 Arti Cameron found herself in recently. “People sometimes want to say negative things about the Miss Universe Pageant but we are not bothered. What happened last week to Miss World would never happen to Miss Universe. The Miss Universe queen would never complain about how well she was taken care of, and in particular, about the preparations to get her to the pageant or anywhere else,” Lumumba said.
Throughout the evening’s programme, Kara was commended for her good representation of Guyana at the pageant and was applauded for the good job she has done and the effort she placed in preparing for the pageant.
Kara’s prizes include a three-week, all-expenses paid trip to Sao Paulo; $400,000, which is the first prize; Bouquet and Trophy from Giftland; $50,000 gift voucher from Glamour; $50,000 gift voucher from Kings Jewellery World; gift vouchers from Street Styles, Princess Hotel and Lifestyles Boutique; outfits compliments of Clairans Boutique and May French; a Blackberry phone compliments of King Solomon and $50,000 from Giddings.
The first, second, third and fourth runners-up received $200,000, $100,000, $50,000 and $25,000 respectively as well as gift vouchers from Princess, Street Styles and Lifestyles among other prizes. All of the other contestants received prizes as well. The first runner-up was Seromanie Choomanlall, second runner-up Judith Sullivan, third runner-up Ayanna Harris and fourth runner-up Roshini Boodhoo. The other contestants were Cynthia Singh, Diana Hussein and Anesha Benjamin (Miss Congeniality).
Kara indicated that she was very grateful to have had the opportunity to represent her country and that it had been an honour and a privilege.
“Everything that you do, everything that you say, the way you look, is a total representation of your country. I am very happy for the support I received from my family, from my friends, and even from the delegates. I am so touched that I was a part of this and have had the experience. It was my first pageant and after Miss Universe it’s probably my last pageant as well,” she told the small gathering.
She added that the experience was life changing and also very developmental as it helped her to be better groomed and was moulded a little bit more. She noted that she was truly appreciative of the opportunity she was given and further thanked the Miss Universe Organization, her sponsors, family and friends.
Propelling herself into the limelight once more, Miss Body Beautiful and Best Smile, Madonna Ghanie, was hesitant when called to receive a gift voucher from Street Styles Boutique. She was seen trying to persuade her mother to collect the certificate on her behalf.
Another relative was heard telling the young woman that she would have to make an effort and do it on her own and she did so with obvious reluctance.
A hot favourite because many felt she had ‘the look’ Madonna disappointed at the pageant when asked, ‘If you were the president of Guyana what would you change about your country?’ Her response was that she would change nothing in the country as President Bharrat Jagdeo was already doing everything “perfectly.” Her answer left the audience speechless for a while and it came as no surprise that she failed to make the final cut.
Lumumba, addressing the young woman’s display of poor manners on Sunday, said, “Madonna, you’re a very pretty girl. I know you are upset that you lost…” He was interrupted by the discontented young lady who stated, “I didn’t lost. I thought I got 5th or 4th runner up…”
She too was cut short when Lumumba said, “whatever it is, one thing I know, you are young, you are pretty, and there is nothing stopping you from training and preparing and coming again. You are always welcome. So don’t feel bad.”
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Lumumba indicated that he has recognized that the Guyanese contestants have to be more competitive. He considered Guyana being a small country as one of the drawbacks since it is also not a very wealthy country, offering little sponsors and support. However, he believes that this will one day change.
He spoke admiringly of the new Miss Universe, Miss Angola, Leila Lopes. “She was striking. She was beautiful and from the time she came on the stage, there were no question who was going to win. I’ve never seen that before. The audience, the spectators, stood up when this young lady came on stage,” Lumumba emphasized.
However, it was very interesting that the Miss Universe organization team spent a lot of time fixing Miss Angola’s hair and clothes during the intermission, he stated.
“It is not true that Miss Universe is just for the white woman when we have the African and the Indian competitors, who are very competitive and very well received and I can say that Miss Angola has been universally accepted and I also can say that Miss Lord has made us proud,” he further stated.
Lumumba noted that this competition makes a young woman a stronger person, a more intelligent individual and it also gives her access to many people around the world. “She has access when she goes to represent Guyana and she has to use that access to her own benefit. We won’t deny any contestant the right to get a job, to make money,” he added.
He thanked their team, sponsors and supporters and especially the parents of the delegates who stood by their daughters and allowed them to participate in the pageant.
