Ruqqayyah sets sights on international crown

“For me [the crown] is like the key to open the pathway of new beginnings. It shouldn’t be worn as an ornament, but be considered as a symbol of strength and taken very seriously and the holder of such should always bear in mind that wearing the crown is no walk in the park, it’s a job and the only way to be successful is to have faith, focus and perseverance”

“When I see something I want and I put my mind to it, there isn’t much that can stop me from achieving that dream,” Miss Guyana Universe Ruqqayyah Boyer says.

And so the self-motivated Ruqqayyah moves on to the Miss Universe 2012 pageant in December.

She is inspired, she said, by Ms Universe 2011, Leila Lopes. “I have been following her ever since [her victory]. She brought a difference. She highlighted that it is not about where you