The crown was presented by pageant promoter, Asif Nawaz, at Gouveia's workplace, Galaxy 21 Photo Processing Lab on Camp Street, Georgetown.

Gouveia said she knew all along that the title was hers and was happy to have the crown back to prove it.

When the judges named her queen early Sunday morning after the completion of the pageant, the official trainer, Bryan Singh used the microphone to say that there was a controversy and announced second runner-up Naomi Singh as the new titleholder.

Gouveia's mother then took off the crown and handed it back to Nawaz and Singh was then crowned and sashed at the Starlite Drive-in Cinema, Montrose, East Coast Demerara where the contest was hosted.

Asif Nawaz Productions, in a statement this week, said the trainer's action was out of order and apologised to Gouveia, her family, the public and sponsors of the pageant.

Naomi Singh was on hand for the presentation of the crown to Gouveia yesterday.

"I did not take the crown, nor did I ask for it. It was given to me. The judges' decision is final and Genevieve is the queen, not me", Singh said.

"My reputation is more important than the crown", she added, stating that she has decided to quit sari pageantry.