BY LORETTA B MANELE
Solomon Islands will not be taking part in this year’s Miss Pacific Islands Pageant.
This is because of the controversy which happened at the crowning night of the pageant last year when it was hosted in Honiara.
And, based on advice from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Miss Solomon Islands Pageant will not be sending a contestant for the Pacific platform.
Miss Solomon Islands Pageant (MSIP) took to its Facebook page yesterday to explain the reason behind non-participation of the regional event.
The MSIP statement said that the government had invested a lot of money in the Miss Pacific Islands pageant 2025.
“As hosts we looked after all the contestants and their delegates, and Miss Pacific islands 2024/25 Ms Moemoana Schwenke and her team for the whole duration of the pageant, something which is not the normal practice with past MPIPs except for Nauru 2024,” said the statement.
The statement said incidents had taken place during the final crowing night of the pageant, which implicated the head judge from Samoa Mr. Brunt for not being transparent in his conduct during the final votes.
This as said, had marred all the hard work and efforts of organisers in the country to have a transparent, ethical and fair process for a successful MPIP2025.
The statement said it is sad that the MPIP board decided to push the issue under the carpet and not deal with Judge Brunt’s action.
“However, as the host we believe the events of the night undermined and brought disrepute to the genuine efforts of our government and organizers to be fair and transparent in all aspects of the event.
“We hope the MPIP will not repeat such in the future and that MPIP does not become a platform for biasness, nepotism and colorism.
“MPIP should empower and bring out the qualities of all the respected dignified contestants who proudly represent their sovereign countries,” said the statement.
With that being said, Team Solomon Host Events have decided to take on Minister of Home Affairs advice not to participate in MPIP2026 until further notice.
Further noted is appreciation to former Miss Solomon Islands for 2025, Elsie Polosovai.
“At this juncture we would like to thank our beautiful former Miss Solomon Islands Elsie Polosovai again for being a great ambassador for our country in the MPIP 2025. You have our deep respect and we wish you all the very best for the future.
“Thank you all for the understanding and hope we can have a Miss Melanesia pageant organized for us to join and continue to promote our unique, exotic and respectable cultures and people to the region and globally,” the statement said.
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