SIX beautiful young ladies contending for the Miss Region One Amerindian Heritage Queen paid a courtesy call yesterday on Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai at her ministry.
The delegates, accompanied by the Vice Chairman of Region One, Paul Pierre and others, met with the Minister and Permanent Secretary, Collin Croal, and provided an update on the preparations for the pageant.

The contestants were selected by the villagers to represent their community and are from Barabina, Kumaka in the Mabaruma sub-region, Whitewater, Kamwatta, Moruca and Port Kaituma.

Minister Sukhai, during her meeting with the delegates, urged them to become enterprising and make optimum use of accessible resources. She encouraged the delegates to consolidate the region’s tourism to improve its economic development, while proposing various micro projects that delegates can be involved in.
The girls,  aged 17-22 years, will be competing for the coveted crown of Miss Region One Amerindian Heritage Queen and will be judged in the areas of introduction, traditional, sports and evening dress segments. Like most pageants, it will culminate with an intelligence segment.
Each delegate has chosen a different platform to advocate for changes in their communities and the region. Topics include: sustainable forest management, HIV/AIDS awareness, agricultural development in the region, and mangrove forest restoration and education in Region One.
The pageant will be held on September 25, 2010 at the L & D Resort, in Mabaruma, and is one of the many activities planned by the Mabaruma Heritage Committee to celebrate Amerindian Heritage Month 2010.  There would also be cultural and sports activities including aquatic sports on September 24 and 25.
The pageant was sponsored by a number of private and public agencies, including the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs; Regional Democratic Council, Region One;  Ministry of Health;  Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC); and the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), among others.
September is designated Amerindian Heritage Month and is being observed under the theme: “Promoting Secure livelihood and Cultural Heritage While Transforming our Village Economies.”