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Date Posted: Sunday, November 23, 05:47:00am
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No more Miss Universe?
By MELISSA DASSRATH Sunday, November 23 2008
Miss Trinidad and Tobago for Miss World and Miss Universe may well be taking their final bow this year.
Pageant organiser and local fashion personality Peter Elias is lamenting that the powers-that-be have not readily come forward to offer financial support for the pageants and he is at the point of throwing in his hat when it comes to promoting this country internationally.
Elias told Sunday Newsday that he has been forced to personally take out bank loans to finance the competition. Even the destiny of Miss TT World, Gabrielle Walcott, was on shaky ground for a while. Walcott is now in South Africa doing her best to properly represent the country for this year’s competition.
The fashion guru said that after the embarrassing absence of Miss TT in 2007, the Government had made a commitment of their continued support. “Last year, we didn’t go to Miss Universe because I was unable to generate any support from private sponsors. I was in touch with the then Minister of Community Develop-ment, Culture and Gender Affairs, Joan Yuille-Williams.
“After we couldn’t raise the money last year to send a representative, we got a commitment from the Ministry that this will never happen again. The Minister vowed that the Government will always support Miss TT.”
Elias said that the Government honoured its commitment by fully supporting Miss TT in preparation for the Miss World competition, but has since failed to be as forthcoming with the funding for the other representative. Said Elias, “We selected Valene Maharaj as Miss TT World and she went on to do very well. She was the third runner up. Foolishly, I believed we could count on them. We had our selection in February and we selected two delegates, Anya Ayoung-Chee for Miss Universe and Gabrielle Walcott for Miss World. But I got the Government’s show of support the day before Anya left for the competition. They gave us a cheque for $100,000.”
But, he explained, it costs a pretty penny to prepare a representative for the competition. “Generally we need about $350,000 to $400,000 per delegate per show. This money goes into various things. From their participation fee, airfare, hotel accommodations, a stipend for the girl and her manager, nutrition, gym trainer and, depending on the girl, there are assorted fees for dancing, vocal training, stage performance, public speaking, photography and makeup and hairstyling lessons. Each delegate requires different training. They agreed then, that this was not much money for the potential of return of their investment. You cannot measure what these girls bring to the country because it’s priceless.”
Elias said he personally appealed to the Prime Minister’s Office to convey the dire straits the women and the competition were in. In addition, Elias indicated, he has written a number of letters about the situation, but to no avail.
“I have written so many letters. Just reminding them of the budget and the timing of the event, being as courteous as I can. Imagine the frustration of calling and writing with no response for months.”
A ray of hope came in the form of a cheque, Elias noted. “They had previously given us the $100,000 for Anya. Subsequent to that, I was forwarded to the Sport and Culture Fund where we got $280,000 for specific aspects of the training. Then in August, we got one more $100,000 from the Ministry. So today we have received $480,000, almost $300,000 short of our budgeted need (for both women).”
According to Elias, the budgeted need tends to wax and wane depending on unforeseeable events, “When I go through the costs it’s remarkable. For instance, Gabby’s show was postponed from August to December 13, so I had to train her for two more months than anticipated. We had prepared a winter wardrobe for the competition which was supposed to be held in the Ukraine, then it was moved to South Africa a warm climate so now we had to buy a better suited wardrobe.”
Elias said that the most upsetting aspect of the situation is the apparent indifference he has met in trying to deal with the situation.
“The job of the (Culture Ministry) is to promote the culture of Trinidad and Tobago. You have to appreciate that the success this country has enjoyed in the last ten years, since I have been working with the competition, has only been because of my thorough preparation. It has not been accidental or luck. So we are promoting our country, but not being supported by our country.”
He compared our lack of support for national delegates to other countries. “Many first world countries recognise the promotion as a form of a marketing tool whereas in developing countries governments usually sponsor the competition because they consider it a developmental tool for young women and a strategy to promote their country on the world stage.”
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Community Develop-ment, Culture and Gender Affairs, Earl Nesbitt, could not be reached for comment.
Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,90403.htm]
Courtesy of Sunday Newsday
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