Miss Belize pageant set for Saturday
A new Miss Belize will be crowned on Saturday but there’s more to the prestigious pageant than a single night of glamour. News Five’s Janelle Chanona has been keeping tabs on the event and reports that the competition is keen.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
According to pageant organisers, the eight contestants vying for the crown of Miss Belize 2007/2008 have spent as much as six hours a day practicing and preparing for Saturday night’s show.
This morning, the delegates held a press conference at the Princess Hotel, as a preview to the big event.
Margaret Johnson, Executive Director, Pageants Belize
“There are many elements that we have changed, we’ve listened to everything you’ve said, the people who attended the pageant last year and we’ve gone over and tried to correct those things to make sure that we do a show that everybody can love. Some of the things we cannot really give out the details so I invite all of you to come and see for yourselves.”
Maria Jeffery, Miss Belize 2006/2007
“This is going to be another wonderful pageant this year so I hope that everybody comes out and enjoys it.”
For Miss Belize 2006/2007 Maria Jeffery Saturday will be bittersweet but she won’t leave the City Centre crownless as Jeffery is the reigning Reina de la Costa Maya.
Maria Jeffery
“I guess the highlight would be just being able to meet all of these different people you know, because I’ve met people all over, Belize, abroad, from Costa Maya, because there were different delegates at Costa Maya, different from the ones I met in Miss Universe and I think that was the best part and of course visiting all the different places.”
On Saturday night, the eight women participated in a swimsuit and fashion show, an independent competition which ended with Belize City contestant Lorriean Samuels as the big winner.
Lorriean Samuels, Swimsuit/Fashion Show Winner
“It’s a little bit nerve wracking I must admit but we’re having a lot of fun preparing in the process but we wish the best to each other and we’re just looking forward for it to end and find out who’s going to be the winner.”
The scores from the swimsuit and fashion show do not count in the Miss Belize pageant so all eight delegates will walk onto the stage at the Belize City Centre on an equal footing. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
In related pageant news, Belize’s Felicita Arzu is set to participate in the annual Miss World competition scheduled for November in Sanya, China.
