Pageant night is almost here and the Miss Guyana/Universe 2004 delegates have already completed the swimsuit and question and answer segments. All of the delegates will be aware that scores have been added and elimination time is at hand. Yet at a Christmas Eve rehearsal, all of them remained poised and focused. Stabroek News today presents the last five interviews and wishes all of the delegates, success.
Teannie Causway, the third runner-up in the recently concluded Miss Amerindian Heritage pageant, is now among the 23 beauties vying for the coveted crown of Miss Guyana/ Universe 2004. Twenty-year old Causway hails from Linden and she is 5' 5" and weighs approximately 120 lbs. According to Causway, other than being a teacher at the St Cuthbert's Primary in Linden she enjoys swimming, fishing and meeting people. Causway's platform is Eco-Tourism in Guyana and she said that her dream is to represent Guyana at an international pageant adding that her personality will take her a very far way.
Tricia Chee-Foon, a 21-year-old currently residing in Norton Street, Lodge is originally from Berbice. This 5' 5" beauty attended the St Joseph High school and is now an accounting clerk at the Central Housing and Planning Authority. Chee-Foon is the third of five children and according to her, she was the top student at both primary and secondary school. She holds a Diploma in Computer Science from the University of Guyana and hopes to one day return to the university to pursue a degree in Accounting because her dream is to become a Finance Director. Chee-Foon sees the pageant as challenging, but she said she intends to keep focus. Her platform is the Impact of Modernisation on Third World Countries.
The always smiling Ashwini Dusrajh was first runner-up at the Miss India/Guyana 2003 pageant. She also contested the Miss Guyana/World 2001 crown. Dusrajh, 21, resides at Good Hope Village on the Essequibo Coast and attends the Government Technical Institute (GTI) and the Business School, where she is undertaking studies in accounts and computing. She hopes that one day she can become a flight attendant. Dusrajh said that the competition is very stiff because all of the girls are beautiful and intelligent. But having the former Miss Guyana/World queens Olive Gopaul and Odessa Phillips in the competition just makes her more confident and ready for pageant night. Dusrajh is passionate about women and their rights and she chose Abuse Against Women as her platform for the Miss Guyana/Universe 2004 pageant. According to Dusrajh, the competition is very challenging but she knows that she is a gem and that all gems are made under pressure.
Michelle Playter is the young woman who feels that more people should get to know what their talent is. Playter, who resides at David Street, Kitty, is an old student of the Soesdyke Ascension in Timehri. While she is currently focusing all of her attention on the pageant, her career goal is to open a talent institution for the young people in Guyana. Playter feels that children who are not occupied with any after school activities, find other things to do. She added that young people may even find their career goal from their talent. With such a strong passion for youths and talent, Playter's choice of platform was almost inevitable. She is focusing on getting young people involved in educational projects.
Twenty-two-year-old Evita Walcott is the Miss Amerindian Heritage 2001 queen. She hails from Charity. Walcott, a teacher, is an assistant mistress at the Charity Secondary School. This 5' 1" beauty enjoys all sporting activities and communicating with people. Her platform is the Importance of Guidance and Counselling on youths in Guyana. According to Walcott, the other contestants are very friendly and although the training could be very hard sometimes, she feels that success comes with hard work and she is ready to do her best.