Nikeisha Persaud, 21, who was born in Linden and grew up in Mahaicony is now a Guyanese college student with a US pageant crown and title to be proud of.
On April 10, last, she proudly represented the Guyana Flag against several beauties of Caribbean countries and proved the best of the lot. For that, she was crowned Miss Caribbean Carnival Queen 2010 at the St. Philip A.M.E. Life Center Hall.
The pageant also featured intermittent Cultural presentations and was attended by a sizable gathering that represented the Caribbean Diaspora.
“Of course Miss Persaud did us all proud,” said one member of the Guyana Association of Georgia. That association did make a contribution to assist with the expenses of her evening gown which from all reports “blew all of the other contestants out of the picture.”
According to one report from an attendee, “she was unquestionably most elegant and in keeping with her most congenial prize win, I must say Nikeisha represented us to the fullest.”
Despite two “glitches” she still won! It was a small setback during her talent segment when the audio system failed frequently thereby distorting her very dramatic recital of a poem she wrote and acted out on stage.
Despite these glitches she had the crowd’s support. The crowd empathized with the audio shortages and exploded with loud claps at the end of the presentation. The other snafu came at the question and answer part of the programme. The question asked about what she thought could be taken from the Civil Rights Law to improve Human Rights!
Nikeisha was brilliant enough to respond with a generalized advocacy that pleased the crowd which moaned at the clumsiness of the question when it was first asked, and, repeated at the request of Miss Persaud.
When the judges’ final decision was announced; one woman said “My Golden Arrowhead was in the air and an unbelievable level of National Pride that sent me running up and down the hallway where I was seated.”
According to one patron, “It was an evening I will remember for many years. Next, we celebrate big time publicly, come Memorial Weekend 2010 in ATL!
The other contenders were Jahlika Edwards– Ms Dominica, Lauren Gibson-Fleming of St Thomas USVI, and Trisha James of Trinidad and Tobago. The pageant also featured competitions for a Junior Queen and a little Princess too.