No Shivern at Miss Universe

Some Vincentians may have had their eyes stuck to their television screens Monday night expecting to see the face of this country’s representative at the annual Miss Universe Pageant.

But this was not to be. Shivern Peters, who was supposed to be present at this year’s pageant was not among the participants.{{more}}

In recent weeks, rumours had been circulating over Shivern’s non-participation in the prestigious pageant of beauties from around the world in Bangkok, Thailand.

According to a well-placed source close to the CDC, “everyone was expecting to see her [Shivern] at the pageant. Plans for her entering the pageant were falling into place, even her profile was posted on the Miss Universe website.”

But, up to the day of the pageant, the former Miss SVG and Miss Carival beauty was seen liming in Kingstown.

Chairperson of the beauty shows committee, Cheryl Rodriquez, said Shivern’s participation at this year’s pageant had to be postponed.

“We were working on sending her to the pageant in Thailand, but we had Miss SVG to work on at the same time. It takes a lot of time and money to prepare… The same persons who were to work on her were busy with Carnival preparations,” Rodriquez said.

With not enough time to allocate sponsorship for an estimated $80,000 for the Miss Universe Thailand trip, the 2003 winner of the Miss SVG title will have to look towards next year’s pageant if she is planning to take part in the competition.

The Bequia lass created history in 2003 becoming the first native of that Grenadines island to capture a Miss SVG pageant.

But will Shivern, who has been out of active pageantry for the past two years, be ready in time for next year’s Miss Universe pageant?

“This year I think she herself was not really ready,” Rodriquez said.

“She herself said she was not mentally and emotionally ready for this year’s pageant,” the beauty shows co-ordinator told Searchlight.

Rodriquez explained it was not the Carnival Development Committee’s job to push her and make her uncomfortable.

Rodriquez boasted that the standard of girls entering the Miss SVG pageant in recent times, particularly this year, has improved. “We have better girls and our girls can represent us anywhere in the world,” Rodriquez mentioned.

However, the girls must take both the Miss SVG and Miss Carival titles in order to be sent on to the Miss Universe Pageant.