Eight to vie for Miss Bartica Regatta crown By Judy Fitzpatrick Stabroek News April 22, 2000 Eight young ladies will vie for the Miss Bartica Regatta Crown tomorrow at the Bartica Regatta Pavilion. The pageant is being held under the theme Surfing Regatta Sensations. The contestants are Natoya Speede, Denise Jourdain, Deomattie Vidi Singh, Mitsy Harmon, Camille Faria, Allison Ann Bremner, Andrea Rosana Sampson and Rhonda Daniels. Consultant for the pageant, Monica Trotz who is also training the contestants told Stabroek News that the eight girls have been undergoing rigorous daily training at the Hotel Tower. The queen will win a trip to New York or one of the Caribbean islands and a weekend for two at one of the local resorts. She will also take home $68,000, a trophy and other prizes. The first runner-up wins a trip to a Caribbean island, a trophy, $40,000 and other gifts. The second runner-up gets $30,000, a trip to a Caribbean island, a trophy and other gifts, while the third runner-up will get $20,000, a trip to a Caribbean island a trophy and other gifts. Trotz explained that the cash prizes have already been secured. Five persons will judge the event which has three segments, swim wear, evening gown and talent. The contestants are also expected to give an opening speech in which they will speak on their platform. The finalists will have to answer a question where their intelligence will be judged. "This is not a beauty pageant where you just look at outer beauty, the contestants must have a personality," Trotz said. "They must be able to speak at any forum. Every year new styles and techniques are added to the pageant and we are always up to date with international [pageant] standards." Trotz assures patrons that this year the pageant will start on time, "it begins late because many times the audience don't go until late and we want to parade the girls in front of a packed audience so we wait until the [patrons] come." Tickets for the pageant cost $1,000 and are available at Crystal's Boutique, Hotel Tower and from any of the contestants. Andre Sobryan, Margaret Lawrence and Desiree Edghill will emcee the show. The local singing sensations Seven and the Jahrusalem Band are also expected to be in Bartica to perform. Natoya Speede Seventeen-year-old Speede represents her township, Bartica. The 5' 7" beauty weighs 115 lbs and carries the statistics 32-26-32. The plight of the single parent household is Speede's platform and her hobbies are modelling, drama and corresponding. She would like to become a professional model. Speede is a computer science student at the Bartica Business School. She won the crown at the 1996 Miss Cool Breeze pageant and placed third at the Miss Bartica Secondary School pageant in 1997. She is sponsored by Shiraz Two Brothers Gas Station. Deomattie Vidi Singh Petite Singh weighs 99 lbs and carries the statistics 32-24-35 1/2. The 20-year-old beauty enjoys modelling, reading and corresponding. She would like to become an accountant and is currently a first year accounts student at the Business School. Singh is employed at Caribbean Rice Industry in Mahaicony and represents Guptar Group of Companies. Her platform is teenage pregnancy and abortions. Mitsy Harmon Twenty-three-year-old Harmon stands tall at 5' 8" and has the statistics 35-24-36 and weighs 120 lbs. The aspiring professional librarian is currently employed at the National Library and is an Industrial relations student at the Critchlow Labour College. Harmon contested the 1999 Miss Guyana African Heritage and the Miss Guyana Public Service Union pageants. She enjoys reading, swimming, modelling and meeting people. She plans to do a dance for her talent piece. Camille Faria The power of service is eighteen-year-old Faria's platform. At 5' 8", Faria weighs 120 lbs and carries the statistics 35-28-36. The aspiring air hostess is a Spanish student at the Spanish Institute. Faria's hobbies are reading, singing, modelling, interacting with people and providing voluntary service. She also likes swimming and playing hockey. Faria is singing a surprise song for her talent piece. She also makes craft products. Allison Ann Bremner Nineteen-year-old Bremner who hails from Bartica hopes to become a certified accountant. Bremner who is a teacher at the Covent Garden Secondary School is 5' 6" tall and weighs 135 lbs. The Bartica representative chose the platform, how to promote tourism in Bartica. Bremner is sponsored by C&B Mining Enterprise (Ricky's Vulcanizing). She plans to do a dramatic poem for her talent piece and enjoys reading, swimming and meeting people. Rhonda Daniels Krishna College student, 17-year-old Daniels is 90 lbs. She is 5 ft tall with statistics 32-23 1/2-25. Daniels is sponsored by Rayon House of Fashion and chose the increase in teenage pregnancy as her platform. She wants to become a lawyer and enjoys dancing, singing, poetry and reading. Daniels contested the 1999 Miss Inter Secondary School pageant. She resides in Lodge. Andrea Rosana Sampson Soft-spoken Sampson is 20 years old. She plans to focus on the prevention of HIV/AIDS if she wins the pageant. She weighs 110 lbs and stands at 5' 7". Sampson's statistics are 33-25 1/2-37. The Air Caribbean Ltd employee is also learning Portuguese at the Brazilian Embassy. The former St Rose's High Student enjoys listening to music, and singing at Karaoke. She is a former contestant of the 1999 Miss Vision of Perfection, and the Miss St Rose's High pageants. Her sponsor is Giddings Pay Day Pawn Shop. Sampson promises patrons a surprise for her talent piece. Denise Jourdain The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) has sponsored the reigning Miss Mahdia. Eighteen-year-old Jourdain is 5' 4" tall, weighs 120 lbs and carries the statistics 33-27-39. The beauty queen wants to become a dentist and is currently a first year student at the Cheddi Jagan Dental Clinic. Her platform is prostitution among women in Guyana. Jourdain will be doing dramatic poetry for her talent piece.