Miss Caricom International
Saint Lucia, Grenada continue to impress - Barbados, Belize create a stir
Stabroek News
July 10, 2004
Miss Saint Lucia, Portia Chery was at her tantalising best on Thursday evening, wowing the audience as she worked the well-decorated stage on the lawns of Castellani House in the swimsuit segment of the Miss Caricom International Pageant.
The competition is still between the 25-year-old Chery, a student of St Francis College in New York and a licensed life insurance agent and Miss Grenada Thea Duncan who lives in Miami and is studying at the Miami Dade University.
The youngest of the bunch, 18-year-old Astra Goodridge from Barbados and 19-year-old Tanika Muslar from Belize also created a stir in the competition, which was watched by a large audience.
The show, which began at around 9 pm, saw the delegates introducing themselves in innovative ways. Some gave brief descriptions of their country before leaving the stage only to return in sizzling fashion much to the pleasure of members of the audience.
With the exception of Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Govanka Roopchand who chose a one-piece bathing suit, the Miss Caricom contestants were all clad in two-piece bathing suits. It was at this stage Miss Saint Lucia out-did the competition, as she not only sashayed across the stage, but tap-danced as well, leaving the audience breathless and asking for more.
Miss Grenada was also at her devastating best moving in time with the music to loud applause. Some of the other appearances were perhaps too brief.
Roger Gary, a Guyanese living in America designed most of the bathing suits.
The competition also featured local designers who took the time to market their products. Among the designers were Michelle Cole with her 'Cole Facts 2 designs', a new and upcoming designer, Samuel Boucher with his 'Hot and Spicy' selections and Patricia Coates.
The final segment of the Miss Caricom International pageant competition will be held tonight at the National Cultural Centre when the judges will make their final decision on who is fit to wear the Caricom crown.
Thursday night's judges were Indira Anandjit, Executive Director of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana; Reigning Miss Guyana Universe, Odessa Phillips; Charge d'Affaires of the Venezuelan Embassy in Guyana Fernando Rincon; and Dianne Sinclair, a body builder.
Also on show tonight will be Ludline Dejoie, Miss Haiti, a nursing student at the Hunter College in America; Miss St Vincent, Zenobria Brito; Miss Suriname, Diyanti Wongsopawoo and Miss Guyana, Kaye-Ann Hall.
Franchise holder of the pageant is Monica Sanchez. Famous actor Danny Glover will be the chief judge at the pageant tonight. The winner of Miss Caricom International will motor away with a car and US$5,000.