“I was like: Oh! Three years back, that was me,” says Morvinia Sobers, who created a bit of history back in 1999 when she became the first ever Guyanese to be crowned Miss Guyana/Universe in a pageant that was as rife with controversy as this year’s over the judges’ decision.

Relaxing at the D’Urban Backlands home of mentor /surrogate mother, Donna-Ramsammy-James, in a figure-hugging, daffodil-coloured jersey shift she helped design, and wearing her signature space-toothed smile, Morvinia, who was two years Rahaman’s junior when she took the coveted title from a field of eight three years ago, told the Sunday Chronicle late Thursday: “It brought back this whole feeling as though you’re there at that moment. You remember everything; from how you felt when they said that you’re the winner.”

Though she wasn’t there in person to watch for Mia’s reaction on hearing she was the new queen, the look on her face in the television news clip, Morvinia said, spoke volumes. “I just saw the excitement in her face; the glow was there.”

It was this same a mix of emotions, from being overwhelmed to excited, that had assailed her when she’d first learnt that she had won the title. “I felt very, very happy. I said: “Yes! I’ve done it; I’ve come this far and I’ve made it.”

Words cannot adequately express how she’d felt at that moment. All she knows, Morvinia said, is that she was happy; that she was extremely overwhelmed at being the new Miss Guyana and at the thought that she was actually going to the Miss Universe pageant.

This was something she’d always dreamt of since she was a kid; she’d always had this fascination with pageants and girls being on stage.

As to how she feels about not being a part of this year’s pageant, Morvinia, who still looks as svelte at 5’ 8” as she did back then and has the same regal carriage and hour-glass figure, said: “I wouldn’t say that I was sad, but I just feel that protocol decrees that I should have played a role in terms of crowning the girl. I wanted no other role; just to put that crown on her head, which I think it was my duty to do, being the first Miss Guyana /Universe. But, it didn’t happen that way.”

Interjecting on Morvinia’s behalf, Ramsammy-James, who has a wealth of experience in such matters, said: “The whole reason of the reigning queen passing over the crown and the sash and taking the final walk is closure for her. Not allowing her to do that… will take her a while to come to terms with closure.”

She went on to say that it is for this very reason, the matter of bringing closure to her reign, that a queen always crowns and sashes her successor and takes her final walk. “Nobody else can do that; nobody else should do that.”

Ramsammy-James, who runs a thriving fashion house under the label, ‘Shape2000’, says that as far as she knows, though she could be wrong, the rules of pageantry do not allow anyone else to do that, only in the event that there was a lapse of many years in holding a pageant, which means that there is no queen around, or if the reigning queen is out of the country or has refused to honour her duties.

“I think this must be setting a precedent, if people can be chosen to do these titular and functional roles,” she said, referring to the importation of Mpule Kwelagobe and Wendy Fitzwilliam, Miss Universe 1999 and1998 respectively, to officiate at the recently-held pageant.

Deeming the act of crowning and putting the sash on her successor and taking the final walk as being “what makes a pageant a pageant,” Ramsammy-James said when you do that, what you’re doing in essence is passing on the mantle. “So, if you don’t pass it on in any way,” she reasoned, “then, it hasn’t been passed on.”

Though she feels what she terms as “bringing in all these people” - from models to musicians to reigning queens - was a fantastic and excellent idea, she says it should not have been at the expense of own wealth of homegrown talent.

“What has happened to Guyana?” she asks. “Are we then saying that there is nobody fit or able in Guyana to do these things?”

She is of the opinion that these questions need to be not only asked but also answered before the next pageant is held, lest there will always be controversy.

Though admitting in retrospect that pageants will always be controversial, as it is in their very nature to be so, Ramsammy-James said: “I think we’re gonna get a lot more stress being put on the contestants that we don’t need, if those areas are not clearly defined before any further pageant is held in Guyana.

“It’s too broad; too rambling,” she said, adding that “oft-times, people who are in charge don’t really know and don’t ask advice from people who might have an idea or people who are knowledgeable.”

She feels that had some of the same people who were brought in been consulted earlier, they might have able to direct the pageant committee as to what they should have done.

She said she was given to understand that both Kwelagobe and Fitzwilliam were told that Morvinia, whom she fondly refers to as ‘Morvie’, was not around and that this was why they were being asked to perform the functions they did at the pageant, namely that of crowning Rahaman in the case of the former, and tying the sash on her in the case of the latter.

“It wasn’t until they finally caught up with Morvinia hours before the pageant,” Ramsammy-James said, “that they knew that she had not been asked to do that.”

As Morvinia hastened to explain, it was not that she wasn’t asked to participate; but how and when; like mere hours before a function or as one particular instance, while it was already in progress.

Clearly harbouring no grudge against the pageant organisers over the slight, Morvinia, who now holds the prestigious title of Design Associate with Shape2000, was more than willing to share with us a few tips about what she feels Mia ought to be doing in preparation for the main event, being the Miss Universe pageant which is mere weeks away in Puerto Rico.

She said that besides psyching herself up both physically and emotionally, Mia also needs to work on getting her wardrobe ready, since she would need “a whole lotta clothes” for the many functions she will have to attend.

In her case, it was meeting with the Prime Minister and President of Trinidad and Tobago, where the pageant was held that year and being taken on a whirlwind tour of the country’s various resorts, not to mention the endless rounds of cocktail parties one is expected to grace with one’s presence.

Often, she said, this meant having to change clothes at least thrice a day, and this is just being conservative. For starters, there were the daily rehearsals, the odd lunch-time function and those in the evening of which there were aplenty.

Her wardrobe, which was done by Ramsammy-James - who at the time had just returned home after spending some 20-odd years abroad - and a coterie of local designers, consisted of 48 official pieces and 12 exercise pieces, which latter were worn during rehearsals, which involves a lot of dancing and movement.

By being prepared physically, she said, this means that Mia needs to ensure that she is slim, not as in reed thin, but well toned, because there’ll be many a day when she’ll have to be in heels (she’s never without them) all day long, which does tend to put a strain on one’s legs.

There is also the vigorous exercise regimen one has to go through and the many late nights you’re expected to keep.

“You hardly get to rest,” Morvinia said.

Now a mere two pounds heavier than the 113 pounds she weighed three years ago and boasting a vital stats of 34-23-37 as opposed to the 33-24-38 she was noted for, Morvinia said many a night, you don’t get to bed until around 01:00hrs.

And, no matter how late you go to bed, you’re expected to be up and ready for breakfast which starts at 07:00hrs.

“…If you’re not well toned physically, then the strain can tell on you,” she said.

Moving on to another topic - that of whether she still plans pursuing a career in computer science and later Law, Morvinia said that while she has not entirely lost her love for the computer, she is now fully preoccupied with fashion and design, both of which she enjoys thoroughly.

It was something she has always been interested in, since she loves to dress. She’s not only learning about what colours best suit her, but also to design and paint, which latter ‘Shape2000’ does a quite lot of, and about the different fibres there are in fabric as well as the art of tie-dying, which she is very good at.

She says she intends going with fashion and design “as far as it can take me,” to the extent that she might even consider it being a life-long career.

She’s been at it since winning the Miss Guyana Universe title and more so after her stint as a flight attendant with the now defunct local carrier, GA 2000. Even while she was working, she’d always spent whatever free time she had over at Donna’s just helping around and as she says, “doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that.”

Asked about which aspect of the trade she likes best, Ramsammy-James again interjected saying that in her opinion, the business side of it appeals to her the most.

Actually, that’s where she feels Morvinia’s forte actually lies; in the international marketing of clothes.

“In the few instances that I’ve tried her, in international fashion shows and marketing of merchandise,” Ramsammy-James said, “she has done exceedingly well, but in order for her to get into that field on her own feet, she will need to have a financial backer.”

This is because she is a young girl starting and cannot afford “to make entrees into the business side of fashion” on her present modest salary.

She is so adept at this sort of thing, Ramsammy-James said, “she can actually go out now if I couldn’t make a trip and I have a buyer to deal with, I am sufficiently satisfied that Morvinia can go, market the produce, collect the money, do any dealings; show any of the garments that need to be shown.

“I probably see her future in something like owning a chain of boutiques that are solely stocked with from jewellery to clothing to accessory shoes and bags, all indigenously made. There is a big niche market for that right now, and I can see Morvinia’s interest is in the total look.”

What is it about Donna that drawn Morvinia to her?

“First and foremost,” says Morvinia, “she is like a mother figure; my mom isn’t here and as an adult, she knows to put me on the right track.”

And this has to do not only with work, but also telling her what’s best for her. She’s also a disciplinarian, “and I like a person who can stand up to me. In that way, it helps me to develop as a young adult.”

She’s also very respectful of others’ opinions and always gives others a chance to prove themselves.