Internet cheats Miss TT

“I did my best, but with the Internet voting it was out of my hands,” Miss TT World Kenisha Thom told Sunday Newsday, speaking from her hotel room in Sanya, China, minutes after returning from saying her goodbyes to fellow delegates yesterday. Although exhausted and sleepy, since she had no time to rest following the conclusion of the Miss World Pageant, Thom expressed her enthusiasm over placing among the top 15. “It’s a wonderful opportunity never to be traded in the world for anything,” she said. “Once my country is pleased, I’m happy.” She extended congratulations to the winner, Miss Peru, and runners-up Miss Dominican Republic and Miss United States and sent a special “I love you” to her native Tobago. She even gave a Chinese “thank you” to Tobago and everyone for their love and support.

The Tobago beauty said although she was portrayed in the Chinese media, Internet inclusive, as a favourite for the pageant title, “I was still at a disadvantage for being good.” She explained, “For example, if a national of a country, say Australia, felt that I was good but essentially a threat to Miss Australia, they would not vote for me. You would never vote for your competition.” While she took a neutral stance on the newly introduced global Internet voting, she said that many of the contestants found the system “unfair.” There was a feature on the Internet called ‘You Decide’ which, we found out, some countries didn’t get to see before voting. This was a video clip giving an introduction of each delegate, accompanied by a number which you would then dial to log your vote.”

It was the first time in the pageant’s history that viewers were invited to vote for their favourite contestants via the Internet, phone or mobile phone text message. Votes from the viewing public were tabulated using a formula devised by the pageant that was meant to keep contestants from big countries from getting an unfair advantage. Thom made it to the semi-final stage of the competition when the 107 girls were narrowed down to 15. The final five contestants were decided by votes. The three girls who received the most votes were then announced first to second runner-up. Celebrity judges, among them legendary West Indian cricketer Sir Vivian Richards, were ready to step in and make the decision in case the system crashed.

Altogether Thom described her experience as “enjoyable.” She said she was reminded of home as Sanya is very tropical, with beautiful beaches and luxurious hotels. “The food is exotic, but I missed our food. The people are warm. I expected more competition among the girls, but they were all really nice and down-to-earth,” said Thom. She said the Chinese were amazed by her features as the sight of a black Caribbean girl was very rare in China. Now that she has obtained celebrity status, offers from local and international modelling and fashion agencies are coming her way. “I don’t know if I’ll take them up because I really want to concentrate on my studies. They have been on hold for too long.” Thom has completed Level II in ACCA. And no proposals for marriage “as yet,” she quipped.

She was grateful for the support of her parents Finita and Gregory Thom, who accompanied her to China along with chaperone Allyson Browne. She said, “You need that support, because it’s hard to see the other girls with their families and yours is not there...you feel left out.” Miss TT World franchise holder Peter Elias felt “very proud” of Thom’s efforts at the pageant saying she was “an absolute ambassador.” However, he felt the decision by Internet voting cheated Thom out of a spot among the finalists. “How could a contestant gain merit off the computer? Kenisha’s charm is her warmth, how could you tell that from a computer? I would encourage Miss World (Pageant) that Internet voting is not an equitable way of promoting a pageant and choosing a winner,” Elias told Sunday Newsday. “I think that they should review this at next year’s pageant. Clearly we did not get enough votes, but in my opinion, she was a top five delegate,” Elias added.

He said his constant fear going into the pageant, was that Trinidad and Tobago would not garner enough votes, “because we (TT) are not a very technological people.” “More importantly, I think she did Trinidad and Tobago very proud. Kenisha did very well. I think she spoke the best she could and looked the best she could. We looked lovely on television, we got a lot of airplay, our country was very well promoted. I have already sent congratulations to the Miss World office on behalf of TT, to Miss Peru,” Elias said. “I take this time again to request the Government to give some subvention or yearly contribution to organise this (Miss World). We have to ask, is this a promotion? Is the Government interested in this, yes or no? I have applied and sent all sorts of requests and proposals and nothing, no response.” He said this year, the Ministry of Culture had rendered first-time assistance in securing Browne’s trip to China. “Logically, it is not the onus of the private sector to promote TT. You have a bunch of people who are passionate about what we do and we may be functioning well, but we need Government support.”

Miss Peru crowned Miss World 2004

SANYA, China: Miss Peru Maria Julia Mantilla Garcia, an aspiring high school teacher, was crowned Miss World 2004 last night in this southern Chinese beach resort. Miss Dominican Republic Claudia Julissa Cruz Rodriguez was the first runner-up and Miss USA Nancy Randall was second runner-up. Mantilla Garcia, 20, wearing a turquoise gown, blew kisses to the crowd as she was crowned. The other contestants then mobbed her with hugs, as pop star Lionel Richie sang his ’80s hit “Dancing on the Ceiling” and golden confetti was shot out of cannons from the balcony. Outside, fireworks lit up the sky. The title carries a US$100,000 (euro75,000) prize. Organisers said the winner was selected by pageant viewers voting by Internet, phone and mobile phone text messages. Votes were weighted so contestants from large countries wouldn’t get an unfair advantage, organisers said, though the formula wasn’t released.

A total of 107 women from around the world competed for the crown in this beach resort on Hainan Island in the South China Sea. “I’m very surprised but I’m also very happy,” Mantilla Garcia told reporters. She said she wanted to do charitable work as Miss World and “help all the people that I can.” A panel of celebrity judges was on hand to offer commentary and help pick the winner in case the high-tech voting system failed. They included Australian television star Kate Ritchie, West Indian cricket legend Sir Viv Richards, Chinese fashion photographer Li Shaobai and Krish Naidoo, an Ireland-based businessman. The hosts were British model Lisa Snowdon, Hong Kong television host Angela Chow and Troy McClain, a former contestant on the US reality TV series The Apprentice. This was the second straight year the London-based Miss World pageant has been held in Sanya. Organisers announced last Friday that the event would be held in Sanya again next year.