Caribbean Culture Queen focusing on women empowerment, regional integration

Guyana’s Shemina Peroune, who secured victory at the 15^th edition of the Caribbean Culture Queen pageant held in St Kitts and Nevis says she will utilise her platform to promote women empowerment against the backdrop of regional integration.

The 20-year-old Aeronautical Engineering student dazzled the Caribbean crowd with her poise, eloquence, talent and beauty, and was also awarded Best Interview and Miss Photogenic at the pageant.

Peroune arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Friday afternoon to a warm welcome from family and friends, and representatives from a number of organisations.

“My platform for the Guyana culture queen pageant was women empowerment, and now that I have a greater platform of Caribbean integration, a regional platform, I intend to ensure that I play a role in strengthening regional integration, and I intend to do so through past and future queens, through the creation of a body,” she told the media.

She encouraged other young women to exercise their full potential despite what challenges may befall them.

“I would say try to make spaces in rooms that you are not welcome in, and that competition is always within. Strive to always compete with yourself, and not persons around you,” Peroune urged.

Peroune expressed that she is incredibly grateful for these successes, and credited her family, friends and team as a valuable support system.

When asked to describe the environment on the island of Nevis, and the overall experience, she commended the hospitality of both the delegates and the members of the committee, adding that this beauty and hospitality mirrors that of Guyana. She also shared her appreciation for the bonds forged with the other delegates.

Meanwhile, Franchise Holder, Randy Madray, said the experience was an exciting journey that saw hard work from all parties involved.

He said, “It became much larger than what we anticipated, and I am very grateful for the very experienced, professional and dynamic team that I had. The people on my team were all experts in pageantry, and I think that is what made this such an amazing success. We knew that we had the ability to achieve the crown.”

He added that the overarching aim going forward is to ensure that this platform promotes Caribbean culture and that the new Queen is robustly involved in advancing this agenda.

“We want to ensure that we uphold the mandate of high standards and promote and market our culture. In this case, the aim is to ensure that we integrate the Caribbean’s true culture,”

The Miss Caribbean Culture Queen Pageant saw contestants from nine Caribbean countries compete in a variety of categories, including interview, talent, swimwear, evening wear, and question and answer.