Controversy looms over Miss BVI Pageant prizes?
Word reaching Virgin Islands News Online from sources close to the Miss BVI organization is that concerns have been raised about the alleged last minute pulling out of the car as one of the prizes for this year’s queen show. “They had the application out with a deadline of sometime in February and on the website and via other means they told the girls that one of the prizes was the car like Shari got, now they want them to sign a new contract and that contract does not have the car in as a prize,” stated the concerned source.
Contacted about this concern, Chairperson of the Miss BVI Pageant Committee Ms Alicia Hamm, told this news agency she was not in a position to speak on the matter at the time but has promised to do so when it’s more appropriate to her.
The source said that this news was broken to the contestants while in St John, USVI, recently by the coordinators of the Miss BVI pageant and they were also told that they are required to sign a new contract before the pageant. “They already signed a contract with their applications, which were accepted way back in February, early March now to come and change up things and to tell them that they have to sign a new contract is a breach in contract on the part of the organizers,” the source said.
The source speculated that the economy is feeling severe strains from the Global Economic Depression which has finally hit the Virgin Islands and the committee may have found themselves in a trap hole for cash. “Honestly I do not believe this is something that the coordinator (name called) wants to do, but I strongly feels that she is under severe pressure from Government, which is the main sponsor of this pageant because they have a financial problem at this time and I stand to be corrected, if I am wrong, whoever was donating the car has pulled out,” said the source.
“I think most of those girls went into the competition for what it had to offer, the car being the main and of course the scholarship and I feel that if they are not going to have the car they should at least give the winners money equivalent to or very close to the value of a car. I think this thing right now has dampened the girls’ spirit and to God be the glory if they all decide to agree to the new contract and sign on so we could still have a Miss BVI pageant this year,” said the concerned source.
Shortly after making contact with Ms Hamm, this News Site attempted to make contact with some of the contestants but was informed that they were summoned to an emergency meeting, which was mainly to address the issues as it had hit the media. The outcome of that meeting is unknown at this time.
Meanwhile, another source close to the Miss BVI Pageant Committee indicated that it was neither advertised on the pageant's website nor was it part of the contestants' contract that a car was among the top prizes. The source also said matters of prizes are not the responsibility of the coordinating body.
As of post time, Virgin Islands News Online was unable to reach the Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee, Mr Marvin Blyden, for a comment.
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35 Responses to “Controversy looms over Miss BVI Pageant prizes?”
Now if we insist on awarding prizes, let the local companies provided prizes. e.g. Lunch /dinners at local restaurants, Spa and beauty treatments, week -end getaways, Flights to Caribbean destinations, Ferry passes, Electronics, Jewellery, Gym memberships, Culinary classes, tennis/squash lessons, swimming with the dolphins, free admittance to advancement training programs, training sessions from Toast Masters, health insurance package, home goods, groceries, dance lessons, steel pan lessons (or any other instrument); shall I go on?
Back off Alicia, you don't know the sacrifice it takes to do this work. Why don't you throw your hat in the ring and try what she has been doing for years without validation and/or payment. She has a passion for this work and she does it well. In the business of organizing pageants, there are numerous moving piece for which she has no control. So please, keep an open mind, perhaps you should volunteer your time to assist her, you may be able to learn a thing or two.
NUFF SAID!!!!!
I won't break down nearly as much as that car...