Therese Rath Stands By Her Husband’s Blog

According to the husband and wife couple, they were largely responsible for the organization of Rebecca’s trip to Miss Universe, minus Enriquez’s input as country director. Furthermore, the family claims that Rebecca still has not received a majority of the prizes she won last year during the Miss Belize pageant. On the other end of those assertions, however, is a response by Rebecca’s previous trainer. Sherima Guity, who is credited with encouraging Rebecca to pursue the Miss Belize title, has written an article in response to Rath’s claims.  Guity’s position, in many ways, supports Opal Enriquez’s effort, having worked to reinstitute Belize in the pageant after a lengthy suspension. Rath, however, does not share the same view.

On the phone: Therese Rath, Mother of Rebecca Rath

“We did not have the faintest idea that we were going to have to be the ones that fulfilled those obligations.  Rebecca has not received the majority of the prizes from Miss Belize.  When we asked Opal there is absolutely no response.  She has received some of them, like from Cellular World and stuff like that.  She didn’t receive all but you know the twenty-five thousand dollar scholarship that she talked about in the article, none of that and there is no response.  You know, she didn’t do it for those prizes but she was the contestant to go to Miss Universe so we paid no attention or very little attention to those prizes in the process of getting to Miss Universe.  It’s a completely, completely different story when you have a specific wardrobe, you have to travel halfway around the world and there is no mechanism whatsoever, set up to get you there.  None.  I am a manager by profession so I tried my very best to say well what is the plan?  Tell us what is the plan.  We’ll fill in, we’ll help, we’ll work with you.  There was no plan, none whatsoever.”

Isani Cayetano

“How do you respond to another article that has been posted in the wake of Tony’s blog, where this individual is, one: distancing herself from what has been written and, in her own view, shedding light on another side to this story?  How do you respond to some of the claims made on her end?”

Therese Rath

“I’ve had nothing but a positive experience with working with Sherima.  She was the one who convinced Rebecca to go to or to go up for Miss Belize and to the best of my knowledge we had a good working relationship with her.”

Isani Cayetano

“What is the message in all of this for any young lady who would be interested in pageantry and in becoming the next Miss Belize?”

Therese Rath

“Well you know Isani, I have to tell you that in spite of all this I was totally blown away by the level of maturity, professionalism and the wonderful women that we met who participated in pageantry.  Like many women in the professional field, you tend to think that pageantry is not, you know, may not be the best use of a woman’s talents.  To tell you the truth I have completely changed my mind.  I believe that pageantry is an excellent way for young women to gain the experience that is needed in the fashion world and in media.”

News Five attempted to reach Enriquez by phone but we were informed that she is not responding to the article.  Instead, we are told that she has been advised to explore her legal options against the author and his family.