Vodafone Hibiscus 2008 contestant Filomena Tuivanualevu last night paid tribute to Africa’s first elected female head of state Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for her tireless effort in protecting women and children during Liberia’s years of civil war.
Tuivanualevu, sponsored by local radio station Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Ltd (FBCL), personally saluted the effort of the grandmother dubbed the Iron Lady, saying Johnson-Sirleaf would be the one celebrity she would invite over for dinner to commend her for that.
While answering her question at the first queen’s public judging at Suva’s Albert Park, Miss FBCL said she was inspired by the work carried out by Johnson-Sirleaf safeguarding women and children from rape and molestation that occurred at the height of the civil war.
“Some 40 per cent of women were raped in the course of the civil war that went on for 15 years or so and this is one lady that inspired women to political office and changing their mindset and working hard to achieve it,” the aspiring hotel manager said.
She indicated the same empowerment should be effected in Fiji for protection of women and children.
Miss South Pacific Production-sponsored Onarina Umu called for the removal of bans against Fiji by major trading partners should she be invited with a meeting with the President of the USA.
Miss Westpac Umesh Chandra said she would want to spend a day with South Africa’s former President Nelson Mandela for his passion and dedication in fighting for much-needed freedom and the removal of apartheid in Africa.
Miss Suva City Council Sina Suliano emphasised the need for aggressive marketing to promote and capitalise on the growing eco-tourism sector in Fiji.
In a rather humorous response to her question on the ‘wonders’ and ‘blunders’ of owning a mobile phone, Miss Interiors Fiji Jasbir Kuar said mobile phones have been able to bridge the communication gap. In the same breath, she discouraged the use of mobile phones by young children saying “this is one way of cutting their communication from having boyfriends and girlfriends”.
Suva Grammar School student Tagimaucia Vitolo (Miss Permal Construction) called for the establishment of constructive school programmes to reduce the frightening incidences of students’ involvement in drug and alcohol abuse.
Also featuring in last night’s public judging were:
- Miss Suva Retailers Association Sheetal Deo who chose to be more intelligent than beautiful reasoning that being intelligent would allow anyone to be beautiful;
- Miss Holistic Pharmacy Sukanika Qaqa agreed with the privatisation of water supply to improve the provision of this service;
- Miss Wheels Pacific Christine Prakash urged schools to employ a qualified counsellor for students;
- Miss Bank of Baroda Mereoni Bibi described her perfect husband as loving, trustworthy and honest and one “who will worship me”;
- Miss FRIEND Desdemona Rosinitabua emphasised that irresponsible actions of people of any community and country towards the environment would bear a definite impact on the global climate; and
- Miss Aquifer Amele Tabuitamana said males had special masculinity feature that were blessed with special purposes.
The five-member panel of judges include: local artist Lambert Ho, former Air Pacific flight attendant Kili Raiwalui, Vodafone executive assistant Manorama Singh, Johnson and Johnson’s Savendra Dayal, and Adi Kakua Mara.
The contestants are being judged on their dress sense, deportment, catwalk and runway skills, general knowledge and public speaking.
Fijilive
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