The Miss Caribbean World Pageant 2008 judges had a hard task ahead of them last Saturday evening as 18 lovely Caribbean beauties graced the stage at the Multipurpose Sports Complex, vying for the prestigious title.

At the end of a long and entertaining evening, it was the delegate from the Nature Isle Dominica Miss Marah Walter who walked with the crown as the new Miss Caribbean World 2008.

Miss Walter was crowned by the 2007 Miss Caribbean World, Miss BVI Leilani Stevens who made her final walk as Miss Caribbean World earlier in the evening.

The 21 year old Miss Marah Walter was judged Best Swimwear, Best Talent, Best Evening Wear, Best Costume and was also awarded Miss Popularity.

Thirty Latinas from around the United States will compete for scholarship money, prizes and the chance of a lifetime to be crowned Miss Latina US and Miss Teen US Latina during the 2009 Miss Latina US Pageant from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 at the Jo Long Theatre for the Performing Arts, 226 N. Hackberry.

Miss Latina US is the first national competition established in the country in 1983 exclusively for Latinas. It continues to be the only one whose winner advances to a world competition - the Miss Latin America of the World pageant hosted annually in different Latin American countries.

Nineteen women, ages 18 to 27, will compete in the Miss Latina US Pageant. In the Miss Teen US Latina Pageant, 11 teenagers, ages 14 to 17, will participate.

Elisa Najera, the fourth-place beauty in the Miss Universe 2008 pageant, will return to Vietnam this October to advertise a new collection of jewelry.

Miss Mexico said she is very happy because she left a good impression on Vietnamese people. She said: “I’ll return to Vietnam to advertise a jewelry brand. I know many Vietnamese people still remember me.”

In the recent Miss Universe 2008 pageant in Vietnam, Najera won Best in swimwear and was a top contender for the Miss Universe 2008 crown.