Guyana’s representative to the annual Miss Universe Pageant.
2017- Rafieya Husain
Age: 25
Hometown: Anna Regina.
Height: 5’ 7”
Birthday: May 22
Born in the “Cinderella County” of Anna Regina, Essequibo, Rafieya Husain is a young woman from a single family household. As a domestic abuse survivor, she founded Rafieya’s International Vision & Hope (RIVAH), a non-profit organization whose mission is to rebuild a strong foundation of values for our young people through advocacy, community education, public policy and research. Rafieya is a full time student completing her Bachelor’s Degree and works full time as a Financial Accountant to help pay for her education. Rafieya wants to be the inspiration and voice for young women everywhere encouraging them to work hard for their dreams.
2016- Soyini Fraser
Age: 26.
Hometown: Georgetown.
Height: 5’ 10”
Birthday: May 08
Soyini Fraser hails from the “Garden City” Georgetown, the Capital of Guyana. This stunning beauty is a media personality, an executive producer of her own television series and a professionally trained dancer and actress. Soyini is an aspiring Christian Child Psychologist, and has been closely working with elderly and children, who are less fortunate, by empowering them through mentorship. Soyini is recognized as a Special Ambassador by the Guyana Tourism Authority and plans to share the warmth of her Guyanese people with her sisters at Miss Universe!
2015-Shauna Ramdyhan
Age: 26
Hometown: Georgetown
Height: 5’ 8”
Birthday: March 07
Shauna Ramdyhan is the eldest child in her family and as such has cultivated leadership skills at a young age. She has always been a high-achiever throughout her school life. Shauna is a Foreign Service Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has a passion for languages. She is fluent in Chinese Mandarin and intends to add Spanish, French and Arabic to the list.
2014-Niketa Barker
Age: 26
Hometown: Georgetown
Height: 5’ 9”
Birthday: July 09
Niketa Barker is two years away from attaining her Degree in Medicine & Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Guyana. Not all about the books, Niketa is in fact a philanthropist, a children’s advocate and a part time model. This family oriented nature-lover, fashion and pageant enthusiast, lost her home to a fire at age 15. This loss has been a life-changing experience. Then two short years later, at the age of 17, she lost her dad; an extremely traumatic event. Niketa is a firm a believer that such tragedies only make one stronger. She has been motivated not only to pursue a prestigious career but also to live everyday as if it were her last. She hopes that when she leaves this world, she leaves nothing short of a legacy in her wake, a legacy that others would be proud to emulate.
2013-Katherina Roshana
Age: 27
Hometown: Georgetown
Height: 5’ 8”
Birthday: October 01
Katherina Roshana studied oriental medicine at the New York College of Health Professions, and currently works as a model. In her spare time, Katherina loves reading autobiographies, watching the History Channel and baking. She aspires to empower women in Guyana and become a successful entrepreneur one day.
2012-Ruqayyah Boyer
Age: 25
Height: 5’ 7”
Hometown: Linden
Ruqayyah Boyer was raised in the extremely close-knit community of Linden, a region known for it’s sandy hills and blue lakes.. Her greatest interest in life is philanthropy and helping others. Ruqayyah also enjoys indulging in the arts, including poetry, dance, music. Currently, she is studying to become a lawyer, specializing in International Relations and Diplomacy. Ruqayyah hopes to one day become a Global Ambassador working with the United Nations. As self-proclaimed “business-tomboy”, Ruqayyah would have fellow children pay her cash to ride in a power wheel when she was younger. Ruqayyah hopes to write many books in her lifetime educating her readers on the true meaning of beauty.
2011-Kara Lord
Age: 23
Height: 5’8″
Hometown: Georgetown
Kara Lord holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of the West Indies (UWI), and has chosen as her platform the relation between the Human Papilloma Virus and Cervical Cancer because of its seriousness and prevalence here in Guyana. Kara believes that the problem can be reduced through awareness. This being her first pageant, Kara wants to use it as a learning experience. She believes that women are stronger than they think, and encourages them to treat themselves with respect. She’d also like to encourage them to keep their emotions in check, and make conscious decisions for the benefit of those around them. She likes to exercise, socialise, travel, and spend time with her family.
2010-Tamika Henry
Age 22
Hometown Georgetown
Height: 5′ 7″
A Queens’ College grandaunt from the Tucville Community, this Guyana scholar who completed a Degree in Forensics at the Miami University already allowed her to show she was serious about pageantry, competing in the Miss University of Miami pageant in 2009. Tamika is among a privilege few that will not only be a beauty queen face but a personality to look for in Guyana’s forensic fraternity with an eye and brain for detail that could see many crimes being solved through scientific genius. Tamika is an average Guyanese girl, very simple with a love for cooking, music and playing with animals.
2009-Jenel Cox
Age: 19
Hometown: Georgetown
Jenel was Miss Guyana Talented Teen 2006 and 2nd runner-up in Guyana’s Next Top Model Competition. She is now a student at the University of Guyana and intends to practice criminal law in the future.
2007- Meleesa Payne
Age: 21
Height: 5’9”
Hometown: Georgetown
Melessa enjoy modeling and singing, but dancing is her joy, it allows her freedom of expression that she would otherwise remain unlocked. Her career ambition is to become a Child Psychologist. She was raised in the Capital Georgetown, known as the Garden City, in an area called Blygezight. This is close to the seawall, which is a narrow concrete wall separating the Atlantic from our under sea level country. She had a bright childhood and lived in an extended family household, with her single parent mom, great aunt and brother. moonlight.
2006- Alana Ernest
Age: 19
Height: 5’9
Hometown: Mahdia
Alana interests are manyfold. Indoor and outdoor activities fasinate her. Cooking is one of her most enjoyable pastimes. Reading gives her great pleasure. When she is outdoor, she partake in a good game of basketball or swim in my favourite creek. Her career ambition is to become a Professional Registered Nurse and further her studies in Medicine. She is currently studying at the New Amsterdam School of Nursing. She was raised in Mahdia (the native Amerindian word for Crb Wood) a small village amidst the rainforest of Guyana approximately 200 miles from the commercial centre Georgetown. Her childhood was a simple one, simple and uncomplicated as the village itself. My childhood activities included nature explorations such as forest rendezvous and frequent dips in the creeks and meandering streams. She possess the uncanny ability to read and write upside down (opposite directions, reverse direction).
2005-Candisie Franklin
Age: 23
Height: 5’11”
Hometown: Linden
Candisie Franklin is Governance and Compliance Officer of Caribbean Governance Consultants Inc. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Guyana and is currently completing her Masters of Law with a specialization in Corporate and Commercial Law from the University of London. She also holds a Certificate in Counseling from the University of the West Indies. With very valuable experience from her last employment at Kelsick, Wilkin & Ferdinand, a Lex Mundi firm in St. Kitts, Ms. Franklin plays a key role in researching legal issues and liaising with our Attorneys in respect of such issues.. An avid volunteer and youth worker, Ms. Franklin has received the Liamuiga Youth Legacy Award for scholarship, leadership and service and continues to give back to her community by mentoring young persons through the “Diamonds in the Rough” school program and Government youth camps.
2004-Odessa Phillips
Age:
Height:
Hometown:
Odessa is a natural leader and ultimately she believe in perfection. Her career ambition is to become a successful lawyer and to be able to contribute meaningfully to the ethics of Corporate behaviour in our society. Success at the Miss Universe competition will serve as a catalyst towards the accomplishment of this goal. The discipline that is required to represent this title for one year will certainly lend to the maturity and intellectual development which can only influence her academic and professional success. Odessa volunteers at the Guyana Community Based Rehabilitation Organization – influencing children with disabilities in the fact that they are beautiful and handsome and that they too can be fashionable and is a Television Host where she enlightening the public on proper waste management, required visiting dump sites, which was quite unusual for a queen.
2003- Leanna Damond
Age: 25
Height: 5’10”
Hometown: New Amsterdam
Leanna career goal is to become the Chief Financial Officer in the Government of Guyana and ultimately the first elected woman President of Guyana. She is currently at the University of Guyana studying for a degree in Economics at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Throughout high school she was trained to perform contemporary, Indian and African dances and was a member of my high school’s drama club. Other than her mom, Miss Norma Younge, her high school principal, has had the most influence on her life. She helped to mold my life into one of much discipline and respect for people, regardless of their identities or the decisions they make. She was insistent on imparting to her that hard work and commitment are the keys to success in any endeavor. Her proudest personal accomplishment was gaining entrance into the most prestigious and scholastically challenging high school in Guyana, the President’s College where she secured Certificates in: English “A,” Mathematics, Social Studies, Home Management, English Literature, Principles of Business, Principles of Accounts, Integrated Science, Spanish, and Office Procedures at the Caribbean Examination Council.
2002-Mia Rahaman
Age: 22
Height: 5’10′
Hometown: Georgetown
Mia is currently an events and promotions coordinator. This former Bishops’ High School and Johnson and Wales University graduate sees herself in ten years operating her own successful eco-tourism resort in the rain forest of Guyana. In general, Mia admire and respect everyday people such as teachers, fire fighters, and police men and women who go out of their way and put their lives on the line for others. Others can only inspire so much, but when all is said and done, it is from within that she has to draw the strength to get up every day as she pursue her goals and make a positive contribution to the world around her.
1999-Morvinia Sobers
Age: 20
Height: 5’8”
Hometown: Georgetown