By Svetlana Marshall

EIGHTEEN-year-old Kimberly Paul is on a mission to develop a green project, after being crowned Miss Regatta 2016 in the wee hours of Sunday.

Though she was not the people’s favourite from the inception, Paul made an impressive dash to the finish line in the last leg of the pageant – blowing the judges away with her response during the Question and Answer Segment.

“Heaven! Because that is the only place you will find peace and no war, and we will be able to live up to our motto: ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny,’” was the answer that landed the 18-year-old in the queen’s chair.
She had been asked to name one place she would like to visit, and why.

In an interview with Guyana Chronicle, the Four Miles Housing Scheme ambassador, who had secured 11 subjects at Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations in 2014 and now works at the GTM Bartica Branch as an Insurance Clerk, said the win came as a major surprise.

“I had been praying about it since I entered the competition, but when it was down to the top five, I never thought it would have been me walking away with the crown,” she said.

“But I am thankful. I am thankful to God, my family and all the persons that supported me,” Miss Regatta 2016 added. The newly-crowned queen said it was always her childhood dream to participate in a pageant. Her mother, Dawn Paul, had shared the Miss Regatta stage with other delegates many years ago, but did not space.

Today, the teenager is celebrating her win with her first love. “For me, this is her dreams come through, through me,” she said. The beauty queen is now in the process of planning a project to be done within the Municipality of Bartica, in keeping with President David Granger’s vision to transform the mining hub into the country’s first ‘Green Town,’ even as she continues to promote her platform: ‘Safe and Sustainable Mining.’

In addition to the crown, which was a gift from the First Lady Sandra Granger, Miss Regatta 2016 received a cash prize of $500,000, a bouquet of flowers; a plaque from the Ministry of the Presidency; a smart phone compliments of Digicel Guyana; designer dress and shoe; a trip for two to Aruwai White H20 Resort; a gold chain; a day at the spa and a beauty hamper.

Though she did not secure the crown, 19–year-old Sherryann Simmons said she has no regrets. The One Mile Housing Scheme representative was, from all indications, the people’s favourite, her presence on stage sending the audience “wild.”

Simmons not only secured second place in the Miss Regatta Pageant, but emerged the winner of the Intelligence Segment, which was held days ahead of the actual event on Monday, March 21.

Although the crowd seemed to have favoured her response during the Question and Answer Segment, critics are of the view that she fell down during this aspect of the competition.

Simmons had been asked what was her idea of happiness and success, and in response said happiness means being around the people you love and being loved by them. Success for her is “knowing one’s self and being confident in yourself.”

Despite losing the crown to Paul, Simmons said, it was just the beginning. “It was my first, it was new, it was exciting; and I could see myself in future pageants,” she said.

In the lead up to the pageant, Simmons had been promoting eco-tourism, in keeping with her theme: Developing Bartica into an eco-friendly Environment,” and though the pageant has now ended, she will continue to promote Bartica as a Green Town. She won herself $200,000 and a smart phone, among other gifts.

In addition to Paul and Simmons, 12 other Barticians had participated in the Regatta Pageant, with Ariell Ganie, Ackema Thomas and Kittona Fredrick coming in third, fourth and fifth respectively. The pageant had been divided into five categories: Intelligence, Talent, Swim Wear, Evening Wear, Costume, Extravaganza.

Ganie won in the Best Costume category, while Fredrick captured the top spot in the talent segment and the Miss Body Beautiful title went to Angelica Williams. They were all awarded gifts for their outstanding performance in the competition.