| Subject: Global Beauties News: Guernsey Negotiates To Attend Miss World 2007 |
Author:
Pageant patty
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 19:47:55 07/02/07 Mon
St. Peter Port, GUERNSEY -The winner of this year’s beauty pageant will be entered into the global competition in December.
But lack of funding means our Guernsey girl might not even make it to the airport.
Miss Guernsey organiser and Carlton Hotel manager Elvio Pires said it had taken more than a year to get approval for entry on the world stage, but Commerce and Employment had turned down his application for £10,000 to go towards costs.
‘We have been conversing with Miss World organisers for the last nine months,’ he said.‘We tried to get the last Miss Guernsey into it but it was very difficult for them agree to that.‘It was quite a difficult negotiation, but we ended up convincing them Guernsey could be entered as a country.’
But he said the States refused to help fund the trip to China.
‘We have to get the girl there and to pay for it we are looking at anywhere between £15,000 and £20,000 – all we asked them for was £10,000.
‘This girl will be representing Guernsey in front of 100 million people and those guys won’t help – it’s incredible.’
But Commerce and Employment member Mike O’Hara defended its decision.
‘Mr Pires rang to tell me and I thought, “Oh my goodness, Miss World – wonderful”, but told him we would need to look into it,’ he said.
‘We are very supportive of what he is doing and I think it is great, but the truth of the matter is that it doesn’t really fall within the marketing group’s mandate, and the budget for this year and the future have already been assigned to other projects.
‘Even if she does get through, it is a matter of priority: £10,000 is a lot of money and I cannot really see the taxpayer liking the idea of us spending that amount towards a beauty contest.’
Mr Pires said he would now have to pursue alternative methods to fund the exercise.
‘I had intended to go to a large bank for sponsorship but now I will have to find other means also to raise all the cash.’ He added that he would not let all his hard work go to waste.‘We are very pleased with ourselves and we could not have done it without the persistence of our entertainment manager, Shaun Potts.
‘He has been going backwards and forwards – it’s been very difficult.’ The winner of next month’s Miss Guernsey pageant would travel to China for the Miss World competition at the end of the year.
‘Now what we need to do is find the next Miss Guernsey.’
Mr Pires said a 30-second film about the island would be played before the Miss Guernsey entry was announced at the 57th competition in Sanya. The runner-up will have the same treatment as the winner.‘We need to have a standby in case anything happens to Miss Guernsey. We also need to make a portfolio of photographs and all of their details.
‘Both myself and Shaun will fly with Miss Guernsey to China and she will be allowed to bring two escorts with her.’ He added that the news was sure to attract more entrants.
‘I think that this year’s Miss Guernsey competition will be a brilliant night.’
Miss Guernsey 2006 Kira Gavey said she was disappointed she had not been accepted as an entrant for Miss World.‘It would have been nice to have had the opportunity to do it but at least someone else will get the chance now,’ she said.
‘I think it is great news for Guernsey and it puts us on the map.‘Think of all those people who will be watching – it could be very good for tourism.’
* The competition takes place at the Carlton Hotel on Wednesday 25 July: anyone over 17 can enter. To register, call 233149.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 