BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - REIGNING Miss World Guyana Rafieya Hussain was given a grand welcome to the Federation yesterday (Mar. 25) when she arrived on St. Kitts for the 2015 Black San’ Bang -A-Lang festival, where she is scheduled to host the LIME Miss Black San' Swimsuit Pageant.
On arrival at the Robert L Bradshaw International Airport, Hussain was greeted by officials from Sandy Point’s SPIRIT Committee and Black San’ as well as a number of reigning locally-based pageant winners.
Desiree Herbert, reigning Miss Black San’, was the first to greet Hussain.
“Welcome to St. Kitts. On behalf of Sandy Point SPIRIT and Miss Black San’ welcome to St. Kitts.”
She was then followed by National Carnival Queen Tishima Browne who said: “On behalf of the National Pageant, I will like to welcome you to St. Kitts and hope you enjoy your stay.”
National Talented Teen Rikki Blake-Brookes also welcomed Hussain to St. Kitts and Nevis.
“On behalf of the Miss National Talented Teen Pageant i just want to welcome you to St. Kitts and hope you enjoy your stay.”
The reigning Miss Caribbean Culture was also on hand to welcome Miss World Guyana and encouraged her to make a visit to Nevis during her stay.
“Good afternoon, I am Yarayni Morton. I am the reigning Miss Caribbean Culture and on behalf of the pageant and its organiser Randy Jeffers, I would like to give you a warm welcome to our Island and I hope you make your way over to Nevis while you are here.”
Tricia Wyatt, Pageant Coordinator for Black San’, also welcomed Hussain and thanked the Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Gender Affairs for making her visit to the Federation possible.
Minister Eugene Hamilton, who was at that time was at the airport departing the Federation on Government’s business, also welcomed Hussain and encourage her to make her people proud during her stay.
“It is a pleasure to have you in St. Kitts with us for the Black San’ festival. Sorry I will miss the opening...I will be out until Saturday evening, but I will take in some of the festivities when I return. Welcome to St. Kitts and Nevis; make your people proud and make our people proud.”
Chairman of Black San’ Amos Francis and SPIRIT President Alanderson Selkridge also had words of welcome on behalf of the Sandy Point community and St. Kitts as a whole.
In response, Hussain thanked Sandy Point’s SPIRIT for having her to attend the festival.
“Thank you for having me on behalf of Miss World Guyana Organisation and the Miss World Organisation. I would like to thank the Sandy Point Spirit for having me here and having me be a part of their festival here in St. Kitts.”
Hussain’s personal mission is to bring more awareness through education on recognising the EARLY SIGNS of Domestic Violence.
