It was certainly a revealing Saturday night for the special invitees at the Rupununi Room of the Hotel Tower, who turned up to have a first look at the 24 Miss Guyana/Universe contestants.
At the end of a three-hour-plus affair many left with more than just a glimpse of the delegates etched on their minds.
McNeal Enterprise, headed by Odinga Lumumba, holds the franchise for the Miss Universe in Guyana. On Saturday night the organization held its first public function for the Miss Guyana/Universe 2003 pageant, which is scheduled for December 27 at the National Cultural Centre. Lumumba whetted appetites by announcing that calypso King Francisco Slinger, well known as the `Mighty Sparrow', would put on a special performance on pageant night.
Bobby Vieira and Juanita Huburn hosted the event and the `Who's Who' of the Guyanese fashion world were all present.
Most of the girls were dressed in black dresses while others had on black and white outfits. But standing out, like fluorescent bulbs in a room full of kerosene lamps, were the two former Miss Guyana/World queens, Olive Gopaul and Odessa Phillips. Both were dressed uniquely; Gopaul in a black and white short skirt suit and Phillips in a blue pants suit.
Gopaul, who has recently been in the media following a problem with GTV, is the favourite of many to win the crown as persons feel that she has what it takes to bring home the Miss Universe crown. Others say Phillips will walk away with the crown on December 27, although they have admitted that she is less assertive. Their entry to the pageant has been dubbed 'the clash of the champions' and many persons plan to attend the show simply to see them go head to head. Whether it is indeed a clash of the champions is anyone's guess, but if one were to judge from Saturday night then it really is a battle between Gopaul and Phillips.
After introducing themselves, the delegates, most of whom had a problem pronouncing the word Demerara, modelled clothing from boutiques and local designers.
It was in this segment that there was nothing left to the imagination, as some of the delegates paraded in outfits that barely protected their modesty.
The men in the audience went wild when some of the contestants, with queenly smiles, came out swinging their hips wearing what could only be termed lingerie. One man was heard commenting, "I didn't know they were giving us a sneak preview of the swimsuit segment." But as some said it was a fashion display and the would-be ambassadors for the country might have just been showcasing all their beauty.
Following the display, during which background music was provided by the `King Scorpion' set, the contestants and guests were given the opportunity to mingle.