Marita Persaud, 23, is still her adorable self. You would remember the second runner-up and `Miss Congeniality’ from the last Miss Guyana World Pageant. Originally from Try Best, Lower Pomeroon, Marita now shares an apartment with two others on the East Coast.

“I’m an independent woman of the 21st century,” she said, explaining her move away from the Pomeroon River.

She was once the shy type, but now loves the popularity that comes with being in the limelight. Marita says she decided on joining Miss Guyana Universe 2003, because of encouragement she received from family and friends. Marita is convinced that being short, like she is, is no barrier to achieving your dreams. She is employed at the North America Fire Insurance Company.

Joining Miss Guyana Universe 2003 was not a complex decision for 20-year-old, Ulex Atwell, 20. One would think Ulex knows all about pageantry, since she has participated in contests ranging from Miss Guyana Talented Teen to Miss Guyana World and Miss Carnival, held last year in St. Vincent.

She is now an Assistant Manager with a stationery supplies company. After Miss Guyana World, Ulex knew that her next pageant, and hopefully the last, would be Miss Guyana Universe.

She has applied to study at the University of Guyana and hopes to start classes this September. Ulex was a former television producer at GTV.

Cindy Benjamin, 26, is the oldest of the group, but she has no hang-ups about that. She was part of Miss Guyana World in 2001. She has since quit her job at the National Bank of Industry and Commerce (NBIC) branch up in Berbice. She is from Fyrish, also in the Ancient County. Cindy wanted to join the Miss Guyana Universe pageant last year, but her commitment to work wouldn’t allow it. She is now pursuing a Distance Education course in Food and Nutrition and Cake Decoration.

“I have the spirit and I love challenges,” is her explanation for being part of this pageant. Cindy is one of nine siblings, and insists that pageantry allows the world to see that women are “beautiful, talented and intelligent”.

4. Straight off the mark, Tenesha Patrick, 18, of Phoenix Park, West Bank Demerara, admits she has to work on handling interviews. Her father, a former Headmaster, died three years ago, and she now lives with her mother and older sister. Her brother is in the Army. Tenesha has been part of pageants before and feels it’s a good way of promoting a woman’s beauty and talent. Tenesha goes against popular belief that what you wear tells about the kind of person you are. Her doctrine is “the most decently dressed can be the most lawless, while girls who dress a bit away from what society requires, carry themselves properly”.

Green-eyed 18-year-old Analisa Reynolds’ mother is a pageant enthusiast. Analisa works with an advertising company and produces for GTV up in Linden. Last year, when the Miss Guyana Universe applications were out, she was too young. But this time around, her mother answered and ruled, “you going up, right?”

Analisa is apprehensive about handling the crowd. But she is a TV hostess!

“I love the camera, I can do anything in front of it, but people, hell, no,” she laughs.

Analisa also hates criticism, but knows a lot will come her way and so she has resolved to handle it the best way she can. She is excellent one and one, so let’s see how things play out for her.

Feeding and taking care of animals is how Julianna Fortune, 18, spent her days gone by.

“Working on my grandparents farm at Queenstown on the Essequibo Coast was a real pleasure for me”, she explains.

No wonder she wants to become a veterinarian some day.

Julianna is currently at the University of Guyana doing Agricultural Science. She appears extremely shy. This is her first pageant.

“I’m nervous, but the training will get that over with and besides, the girls are nice,” Julianna insists.

Vanessa Tacooram, 20, is originally from Berbice. She has the `Mia’ body, but, like the reigning queen, Vanessa has no qualms about the way she looks.

“If you have it, you flaunt it”, she laughs away, perking it up. She is a whole lot of fun and is extremely outspoken. She loves to party and enjoys being a flight attendant with Universal Airlines.

“One night you’re in Guyana, the next night you’re in New York, or probably Africa, wow,” she lights up.

Vanessa is also serious minded. In 1998, she represented Guyana Caribbean Youth Parliament in the Bahamas.