Umblita Claire Van Sluytman was born in British Guiana (now Guyana), with African, Portuguese, and Dutch ancestry.
She competed at the Miss Universe pageant in summer 1966, in Miami Beach, Florida.
[2] She became Guyana's first representative at the Miss World competition in London, in November 1966.
She reached the semi-finals, and was the first of six consecutive Miss Guyanas to finish in the top ten at the event from 1966 to 1971.
[3] A UPI photograph of her dancing on a table in her navel-baring, minimal costume for the pageant was published in many newspapers.