Guyanese Alicia Bess-Anderson, who has been successful at several local and international pageants in the past, returned to form earlier this month when she walked away with the crown at the Believe to Achieve Foundation’s sixth Miss International Elegant Mothers Pageant held in St Maarten.
The 33-year-old East Bank Demerara resident also won the photogenic, popularity, social media, best country video, best African wear, best speech, best traditional wear, best evening wear, best talent, best interview and best ‘final word’ awards.
Anderson, a workforce development advisor in Guyana’s oil and gas industry, said in an interview with the Sunday Stabroek that she became aware of the pageant through her husband who saw a post on social media.
With 15 pageants under her belt, Anderson said, she had considered herself retired in 2015 but after discussions with her husband and him eagerly encouraging her to participate she decided to give it a go.
Anderson, the mother of a son via birth and a daughter through marriage, said she also considered that the pageant was about motherhood and celebrating mothers and thought that it was perfect for this time in her career.
She journeyed to St Maarten to take the stage on May 13, at the Belair Community Centre and emerged the best among representatives of five countries. Anderson said, “The experience was very good… The committee went all out to ensure we were comfortable.
We had a lot of tours, the tourism aspect of it and promoting tourism of our country, and on the night it was a very good production but even as it ran long, the patrons stayed.”
Explaining what the moment felt like when it was announced that she was victorious, she said that it was a moment of joy and peace.
No stranger to pageantry, Anderson has participated in several local, regional, and international pageants over the years, copping several best prizes and the crowns of Miss East Bank Supermodel 2010, Miss Jamzone 2013, Ms Global International Guyana 2015, and Ms PJD2 2014 in St Maarten.
As such, she said, when she returned for the Miss International Elegant Mothers pageant the pressure was on as she was recognised by patrons for winning the Ms PJD2. She added, “It was a big fuss back then and the pressure was on but I went and I won. I was able to retain my ranking. It was a sign of relief and excitement.”
She said that although her husband and children did not get to make the journey with her as planned due to some visa issues, the motivational words and tremendous support from her husband kept her grounded throughout the experience.
Meanwhile, Anderson is also the CEO of Prestige Pageant Management through which she offers pageant coaching services to various franchises and contestants.
She has worked behind the scenes for several pageants. She said, “From 2015 to now, I’ve worked with girls from Miss World Guyana, girls on the international stage; the last Miss Jamzone and Miss Cricket Carnival. I have been more in the background.”
Touching on where her love for pageantry stemmed from, she explained that as a young girl, she enjoyed watching the Miss Universe and Miss World pageants on television, “and I always remember telling my mom that I wanted to do that.”
However, growing up in a somewhat strict Christian household didn’t allow Anderson to tip her toes in the waters of pageantry until she became an adult. “My first pageant, I believe I was 21. Prior to that, my parents were no; but ever since I was a child I always loved it, and when I started to do it they saw that.”
For Anderson, pageantry has helped her to develop skills in public speaking, confidence building, and being an elegant and graceful woman altogether. She pointed out that the evolution that comes with pageantry cannot be achieved elsewhere, “it helps you to learn and develop skills that really shape and define you.”
She encouraged young women who may have the same love for it to just “take a leap” stressing that “it really is a good industry to help you with your soft skills.”
She said, “do it for your love, your benefit, see what works for you, develop your own personal growth, not just for the glitz and glamour. See what it can help you develop in your inner life.”
As a working mom, Anderson noted that her schedule was a crazy one but stressed the importance of proper time management and expressed her gratitude for the support from relatives. “Both my husband and I work full-time jobs but when we get home at night that is family time,” she said.
Meanwhile, Anderson joked that she is now happily returning to retirement and to being in the background of Guyana’s pageantry with the hope of one hosting her own mother’s pageant in Guyana as it is a platform she thoroughly enjoyed. She said Guyanese mothers are already expressing their desire to participate.
She also took the time to thank her sponsors: the Ministry of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce, Ultra Care Medical Centre Inc, M&M Snackette and Fastfood, Smile 592 Dental Studio, Jacobs Jewelry and Pawn Shop, Salon Royale, Sharon Layne and the St Maarten Guyanese Association, along with her friends Stephanie, Natalya, Nadine, and Stowell and her designer Randy Madray, who did her traditional culture wear and evening gown.
She also thanked her fans and people who voted to help her win best country promo video and the social media award.
