Dear Editor,

It is with great interest that I am following the upcoming Ms Guyana Universe Pageant to be held on April 13 by McNeal Enterprises. It is good to know that the franchise has been resuscitated again and by a business grouping that by all accounts seems sound. However, I am somewhat disappointed by the steering committee's entertainment arrangements.

Why at a Guyanese national event of such magnitude should foreign artistes entertain us? Don't we have such professionals in Guyana? Trinidad and the United States recently held their pageants and you did not see artistes from other countries entertaining the audience.

I know for a fact that Guyana has top-of-the-line artistes and names that come to mind include such artistes as Seven, Sydney Chester, Sean Bhola and First Born.

Sean Bhola and Sydney Chester are tops in their category, Seven has recorded R'n'B music as well as Soca, having been judged alongside Chris Wilson as the road march kings for 2001, and First Born has recordings with reggae greats such as Luciana and Glen Washington and even had their album on the Billboard Reggae Charts.

The above-mentioned artistes are considered to be amongst Guyana's cream of new breed of entertainers. Why aren't they part of the show? Imagine our future Ms Guyana Universe, who will represent this country at a world event, will be serenaded by a foreign artiste.

Come on, let's take that foreign minded ness attitude we seem to have and support our own. I for one would prefer to see our own artistes on show. Big up to our local artistes.

Also I would like to question the idea of a former Ms Universe crowning our winner; she should be a guest on the show if you would like to add an international flavour, but the honours should go to the reigning Ms Guyana World, Ms Gopaul, who did so well and was recently named South America Woman of Substance. Failing that then Ms Morvinia Sobers should be given that honour as the last Ms Guyana Universe.

So come on Mr Chairman and committee members, don't let the dollar signs get the better of you, put on a show that would make every Guyanese proud of their country, especially the Guyanese community in New York.

In closing, other than the entertainment, all other areas indicate that you are on the right track. Good luck and may we hear and see more of our Guyanese artistes.