On December 3, 2016, the first annual Reina Garifuna del Caribe (the Miss Garifuna Caribbean) pageant was held at the Malecon Cultural Park in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. The Reina Garifuna del Caribe Pageant was planned by Asociacion Amigos para el Desarrollo de Izabal in conjunction with the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Guatemala. The event was part of an effort to bring unity among the Garinagu within the Caribbean diaspora and assist with the preservation of Garifuna culture.
The pageant featured contestants from Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. The National Garifuna Council of Belize is happy to announce that Ms. Sabrina Solano of Hopkins Village is the Reina Garifuna del Caribe for 2016-2017, while Ms. Kaylin Mejia of Dangriga was the first runner up in the pageant
The National Garifuna Council of Belize would like to Congratulate Ms. Solano for her victory and for making Belize Proud.