The six Caribbean delegates who are competing in the first ever Miss Cricket Carnival Pageant, were on Saturday sashed with the names of their respective countries.
Stabroek News on Saturday spoke to all six of the candidates where they shared their experiences and how the journey to the crown and official title have been progressing.
Barbados delegate, Beviny Payne noted that her preparations have been going as she has embraced every aspect of Guyanese culture since she landed. “Preparations so far have been amazing, I love being here in Guyana and meeting the other five lovely delegates. I would say that we’re almost like a little sisterhood and I’m really enjoying them.”
Payne added that although she had limited time to prepare, she used her training from past pageants which she had contested in, to help her through her journey. “For me personally, I only had three weeks to prepare, however I would say due to my previous experiences it’s been quite easy but yet challenging of course, but my team and I were working super-duper hard to just make sure that everything has been pristine and ready.”
“I hope to bring all the flavour, I know Guyana is really known for their flavorful food, cuisine, their people, their music and I hope I can match that, I seek to match that,” expressed the Barbadian ambassador.
Meanwhile, Guyana’s very own, Amel Griffith said that she intends to showcase every aspect of her Guyanese culture on Monday night. “When I hit the stage I’ll be the true representation of what is a Guyanese woman or a Guyanese person in general, I’ll be highlighting our culture, our history, our food as a passion, as a people, so when I hit the stage there will be no doubt or questions in [anyone’s] mind about if I’m Guyanese.”
Griffith, who recently won the Miss Jamzone Pageant in Guyana, said that this time competing was a bit more challenging since her preparation time was also limited. “I have been putting in a lot of work for the past two weeks… preparation was very tiring, it took a lot out of me because I have just jumped out of one pageant and I had to start preparations for this pageant and of course, this one was a bit bigger than the other so it really took a lot out of me. I’ve been training seven days a week to really represent my country in the best way that I could.”
The Jamaican delegate, Tyra Spaulding, told Stabroek News that her journey to the crown was not an easy one, nevertheless, she embraces the challenges as she also learns at the same time. “Preparations have been very tiring, long hours in heels, all day rehearsing and practicing the routines for the final night, but it’s been very rewarding as well because it’s a learning experience and I’m just glad to be a part of this pageant and be a able to represent my country Jamaica… I hope to bring my best, to showcase my talent, my walk, my intelligence.”
Chalisa Parris who is representing St. Kitts and Nevis described her preparations as hectic. “Preparations have been going great so far it’s just a little hectic having to get up like five o’clock in the mornings and reaching back in by eleven in the night, but otherwise its going great and hopefully it’ll be a very nice show on Monday night.”
“What I’m bringing to the stage on Monday night is a little Japanese dance and a little costume from our culture,” disclosed Parris to Stabroek News.
Moreover, the St. Lucia candidate, Claire Marissa Smartt, said that she aspires to bring all of her St. Lucia culture to the Guyanese people as she graces the stage on Monday night. ”I just hope to bring out my culture, my exciting people and make the Guyanese people feel what being in St. Lucia is like.”
Smartt, who said that she feels a strong sense of cohesion amongst the other delegates, described the entire experience as great. “It’s been great, today we had rehearsals with the contestants and I must say that rehearsing with them made me feel a lot better because it gelled us together a little more.”
And according to Melanie Lawrence of Trinidad and Tobago, “Preparations for me was really good, I enjoyed learning as much as I can to definitely better myself and I’m definitely looking forward and I’m really excited to showing it all out on stage on Monday.
“I hope to bring nothing less than my best and I hope to make my country proud and really let my personality show from within me in each segment that I participate in,” posited the young Trinidadian.
The six Caribbean beauties who are from the six teams that are competing in the 2022 Cricket Premier League will grace the stage on Monday night at the National cultural Centre where they will compete in various segments.
