Mashramani gets regional flavour this year as festivities broaden with an inaugural pageant on Sunday, February 22 in celebration of the national event.

Simpli Royal's Miss Mash Queen International 2004 pageant is venturing where no other local pageant has gone; staging a Caribbean extravaganza at the National Cultural Centre.

With a lineup of 11 beauties from across the wider Caribbean and local girl Ulex Atwell, the event is promising to be a Mashramani dream fulfilled.

Caribbean artifacts such as craft, paintings and jewellery collected by the visiting delegates will be auctioned at a Cocktail Reception on Thursday at the Ocean View International Hotel.

A fashion show dubbed 'Taste of the Caribbean' will follow on Saturday at Ocean View Poolside where the delegates will model designs from their respective countries. The event will also feature the designs of Michelle Cole, Olympia Small and overseas-based Roger Gary and Oral Welchman. Local male designer Samuel Boucher will launch his new line of men's wear at the show.

Part proceeds of both the auction and fashion show will go to the Mahaica Children's Home, which was recently adopted by Simpli Royal's Talented Teen, the Guyana Relief Council and the youth arm of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA).

The delegates will revel in the celebrations on Mash Day when they take to the streets as part of the Carib Mash Band for the Costume Float Parade. They will be revelling under the name, 'Golden Girls'.

Pageant Co-ordinator Pamela Dillon told Stabroek News the pageant took two years to be realized and countless efforts to reach international standards. She pointed out that the Caribbean was invited to participate and the response was overwhelming.

Dillon said that the event is a networking since it links Carnival (Trinidad), Mash-ramani and Crop Over (Barbados) among other regional celebrations.

And as for sponsorship, Dillon said the delegates are coming outfitted. BWIA is the official carrier of the pageant and Ocean View Hotel, the official home. Acme and several other local businesses are also on board.

She stressed that it is a huge responsibility to host the pageant and keep it competitive with what is happening in the wider region, adding that the delegates are strong and will make for exciting entertainment.

The delegates are expected in the country tomorrow. They are: Natasha John of Barbados, a 20-year-old business student; Ana Elizabeth Fermin of the Dominican Republic, who is 21 years old attends university and is a professional model; Leandra Lander of Dominica, 19, who is a second year student at Dominica State College; Ana Indira Sanchez of Margarita Islands, a 21-year-old final year university student; Liliana Jimenez of Colombia, who is 24 and pursuing a degree in trade; Shakima Stoutt of the British Virgin Islands, a 20-year-old student; Olgamar Hernandez of Curacao, 18, who is a student; Ziedy Calderon of Puerto Rico, 18, who is a professional model and modelling instructor; Sheron Providence of Trinidad and Tobago, a 20-year-old former Miss Island Teen Queen;, Itasha Webster of Anguilla, 21, who is a pre-school teacher and a former Miss Anguilla; and Carmen Travieso of Venezuela an 18-year-old student. Atwell who represents Guyana is 21 and is pursuing a degree in medical technology. She is a former Miss Guyana Talented Teen Queen.