Belizean

Belmopan 2 August 2008 - (Belizean.com) - Miss Charmaine Chinapen has been selected as the new Belize 2008 and will represent her country at the Miss World Pageant in the Ukraine next year.

The new Miss Belize was crowned by the second runner up, Iris Jessie Medina, after Tanisha Vernon, Miss Belize 2007-2008, was stripped of her crown earlier this year. She competed against five other Belizean ladies, chosen from among eleven applicants for the position.

Chinapen is no stranger to the stage, as she has been modeling for print ads in the U.S.A. for Pantene Pro-V. She is currently majoring in chemistry at St. John's University in New York and is studying to be a neurosurgeon. She also plays the piano.

Chinapen said that she believes the competition was fair and was made to understand that this is the way it is normally held in other countries. She adds that it is indeed a very great feeling to be Miss Belize, and having always been patriotic, she can now represent Belize on an international level. She intends to do her best to make Belize shine in the Miss World pageant, said Chinapen.

Jessie was originally born in El Salvador, grew up in Guatemala and came to Belize at age 13 and became a Belizean. She speaks English and Spanish fluently, works at the Corozal Free Zone as the Assistant Manager of the Corozal Free Zone Development Company.

Jessie's dream is to own and manage a chain of fine restaurants that specialize in Latin and Belizean cuisines in keys tourism areas of Belize. She enjoys dancing, cooking, working out, Supa G music, photography and modeling.  Jessie is no newcomer to pageants. She was Señorita Jaripeo in El Salvador, second runner-up in the Miss Pan-American Pageant in Orange Walk, and was Señorita Traje de Baño in Orange Walk.

Jessie has also represented Belize in the Miss PJD2 annual Caribbean Pageant recently held in the island of St. Maarten with 30 other delegates in March 2008, and is now competing for Belize through Pageants Belize in the Dominican Republic at the Miss America Latina Pageant along with over 27 delegates. The Miss America Latina finals will be held on June 28th and Pageants Belize wishes her the very best.