Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP)

Faamatuainu Lenata’i Suifua thanked chairperson Molly O’Rourke and the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant PNG Committee for their hard work in hosting a magnificent Pageant this year, and for the hospitality shown by the people of Papua New Guinea.

“Papua New Guinea has done an excellent job in hosting this year’s Pageant and I thank them for their hard work in staging a magnificent Pageant,” he said.

It has been 12 years since Miss Wallis and Futuna entered the pageant.

The French Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands is in the Polynesian group of the South Pacific, nestled halfway between Tonga, Tuvalu, Fiji and the Samoas. The Territory celebrated its national day on July 29 with the staging of the Miss Wallis and Futuna Pageant.

“I am very proud to represent my islands as cultural ambassador at this year’s MPIP because it's an opportunity for me to show and promote my culture and traditions and to share them with the rest of the Pacific,” Blondel stated.

This was obvious during the announcement of its sponsored contestant to the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP).

A trend that started last year, which even has the Vice Chancellor Edward Silva’s support, IBS is committed to continue sponsoring a female student yearly into this national pageant.

The recently made university views this as a way of women empowerment.

“IBS is not only concentrating on education – we need to make the complete personality, especially for women,” said Silva.

Katherine Johnston, the committee chairperson said they hope to bring the pageant in 2019.

Johnston explained that PNG already has international events lined up in 2018 particularly the APEC meet which means 2019 is a reasonable year.

Papua New Guinea did host the regional pageant in 2010.

Last year, the pageant was held in Cook Islands, where Miss PNG 2015 Abigail Havora was crowned PNG’s first ever Miss Pacific Islands.

The event will see 10 local designers showcasing a total of 71 outfits under three categories, Day/Evening wear, the Sarong wear (laplaps) and the Traditionally Inspired Dress.

There are 45 outfits for Day/Evening wear, 11 laplaps for Sarong wear and 13 outfits for Traditionally Inspired Dress.

Guests are expected to start arriving by six this evening before the doors shut at 7pm sharp for the program to kick off.

Giving a sneak preview of the program last Thursday, the organising committee said tonight will be a packed extravaganza.