23rd Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth

Curmiah St Catherine, a 21 year old St Lucian, has won the 23rd Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth title at the Polish Centre, Hammersmith, London - defeating contestants from fourteen other nations. It was revenge for the Caribbean after Africans had swept all three tops places a year ago. There was no doubt about it - Curmiah was placed top on the scorecards of seven of the ten judges. The panel comprised former holders of the Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth title - chaired by Archbishop Dr Bancroft McCarthy.

Melissa Obosi of Ghana and Sapphire Durrant of Jamaica were second and third respectively. The contestants voted Christina McDougall of Guyana as Miss Personality. For the first time in the title’s long history there were contestants from Cuba, Haiti and Montserrat.

Yolanda Gqomo - 22nd Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth

Karola Rajoo - 21st Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth. She is the third Trinidadian - following Anita St Rose (1995) and Shaherah Williams (2004) - to hold the official Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth title and another Kim Ryan (2006) won the special one-off Silver Jubilee Miss Caribbean & Commonwealth contest.

Promoter Clayton Goodwin commented:
"Competition is keener than I can ever remember"said Clayton Goodwin who founded the title in 1981. "With entrants from so many different countries and backgrounds it is always impossible to figure out who will have the advantage until they get on stage".