The nine contestants vying for the McDonald’s Miss Samoa crown 2017 received a Prime Ministerial audience with the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi as the guest of honour over the weekend.
The Q&A with the Prime Minister jump starts the pre-pageant preparations, initiated by the Samoa Events Incorporated (SEI) using the week leading up to the event to prepare the contestants through briefing sessions with high level officials as well as Cabinet Ministers and even the Prime Minister.
This aims to broaden the contestant’s knowledge on Samoa’s developments, growth, challenges and achievements.
The ultimate aim is for the next Miss Samoa to be prepared for the Miss Pacific Pageant in Fiji later in the year and the friendly confrontation between the Prime Minister and the nine beauties turned out to be an eye opener for the young contestants.
The experience was of a life time for the contestants as they witnessed firsthand the revered Tuilaepa’s sense of humor.
Issues from gender equality to increasing Samoa women’s participation in parliament, to information communication technology, family planning, shortage of medical supplies, to criticisms against his leadership, the Prime Minister was precise with his responses but many a times, he was humorous.
The Prime Minister took the opportunity to share the government vision behind the creation of the Pageant as a vehicle to profile Samoa to the world as the best tourism haven and also safe and secure for overseas investments.
As the main stay of Samoa’s economy, Tuilaepa says that tourism remains a government priority and the Miss Samoa Pageant is one of the vehicles profiling the country as a tourism destination.
“The Pageant is more than a Beauty contest.It represents the empowerment of Samoa women as achievers and main contributors to our country’s well-being and well fare,” he said.
“It is also an investment to sustain our tourism revenues for the benefit of our accommodation, transport, handicrafts sectors and even farmers who are benefactors of the tourism dollars and it is crucial that we maintain the drive and innovation to entice tourists to visit our country, “he added.
“That’s why as Miss Samoa, you will be our ambassadors to show the world the beauty of our country through your appearance, your intelligence and your pride as a Samoan lady,” he told the contestants.
As for future leaders aspiring to be the next Tuilaepa; The Prime Minister’s response; “Read the Book (Palemia Memoirs.) It has everything they need to know.”
Photo supplied by Government of Samoa Facebook