Law student, Odessa Phillips, was named Miss Guyana Universe 2004 just after midnight Saturday, narrowly edging out Olive Gopaul for the chance to represent Guyana in Ecuador mid next year at the Miss Universe pageant.
Odessa, of Vergenoegen, on the East Bank of Essequibo, said after her crowning she felt "wonderful" and Olive Gopaul, who was named first runner-up, said she was happy for Odessa, the girl she crowned Miss Guyana World in 2002.
"I always knew it was going to be Odessa or me", Olive told reporters.
What is success? That was the final question. Odessa said success is accomplishment and probably snatched the crown away from Olive's hand when she added that success moreso comes from overcoming barriers in life.
As her answer, Olive said that success means achievement, especially when you achieve something that you really, really want.
After being crowned queen, just about four months after she ended her reign as Miss Guyana World, Odessa said she has not yet achieved success, and said she will feel that she has "accomplished" when she is accepted in the local bar. She is soon to enter Hugh Wooding Law School, but her reign could very well push that back.
In what was a head-on battle between the two former winners of Miss Guyana World, Odessa and Olive smoothed their way through the competition, leaving the other 21 contestants in their shadow.
Still, in the selection of the final five there were some remarkable surprises. Then again, throughout the pageant, there were surprises - some strange, some delightful.
Of the final five surprises was MTV court reporter Joylyn Perreira. The credit probably has to go to the design of her gown and her confident stride once she was among the top 15. She was named 4th runner-up.
A real surprise for a place in the top was Sergean Elias (3rd runner-up), but Michelle Armstrong's place was sure from the outset. Michelle was named 2nd runner-up.
For the special prizes, Olive's exquisite gown won her the Best Gown prize, Odessa was adjudged the contestant with the Best Smile, Alicia Faria was named Miss Congeniality, Michelle Armstrong was the best contestant in swimsuit, and Zena Edwards had the Best Hairstyle (huh?).
Outside of the thrilling performances by the calypso King of the World, the Mighty Sparrow, the pageant lacked entertainment, and the audio coming from the MC's was horrible. As for delightful surprises, the calypso king admitted to eating a "white meat" - but just once, he was quick to inform!
The organizers' attempt to show the delegates on video on side screen at the National Cultural Centre was a disaster; needless to say, it should have been part of the whole set up.
Despite a sober attempt at putting on some good costumes, the introductory dance segment by National Dance performances lacked any choreography of substance and they carried on too long before the delegates took their first walk after engaging in idle chatter while the dancers carried on.
It was only when the final five was announced that you actually heard them speak, and the other contestants were not heard of, rather from, and many patrons were left sailing as to who was who, even when the 15 semi-finalists were announced. If someone was introducing them, there certainly was no sound.
The stage setting was that of a ship, but the delegates were dressed far from sailors, as was the original plan announced by franchise holder Odinga Lumumba.
The pageant was the most disorganized of recent. At least it seemed that way with someone always hopping on stage, whispering "this and that" to the MC's.
However, the most shocking display was from the franchise holder himself, who seemed in a frenzy and was walking up and down, and at one point, walked right on stage and passed in front of the podium when MCs Bobby Vieira and former Miss Universe Wendy Fitzwilliam were speaking. Talk about bad manners!
That wasn't all, however. Before the announcement of the final five, Lumumba called Ms. Fitzwilliam backstage! Who cares what they talked about, or maybe we should care. The point is, it was most inappropriate and Lumumba could not have possibly seen that from Donald Trump, whom he would like to present one day a Miss Universe from Guyana.
As part of her preparation for the Mss Universe pageant, Lumumba has said that Odessa will spend time in the United States and London.