Just back from a one week shopping and training sojourn in the United States, Damond said she is in high spirits and franchise holder Mr. Odinga Lumumba said the queen will have a minimum of 30 outfits for her Panamanian suitcase.

Ms. Damond was adamant in her refusal to disclose any detail about her competition evening gown.

"You would like what you see", was all she was prepared to say at a news conference.

In addition, Damond has not yet seen her national costume which is being put together by Mr. Derek Moore and which would be used in the introductory segment of the Miss Universe contest.

Though the Guyana delegate said she is prepared as any other Miss Universe contestant should be, she admitted that she still needed to work on "everything".

In the United States, Damond said she had a lot of fun and visited a number of fashion houses and was pampered with a complete makeover, thanks to a Jamaican couple.

Ms. Nickolet Trotman will be her chaperone in Panama, and Lumumba's initial talk of a charter to Panama for Guyanese supporters seems to have gone through the roof.

He became very defensive when it came to questions as to who would be accompanying Damond to support her.

She said she is prepared to handle whatever comes her way and plans to do her best at the Miss Universe pageant.