The Pacific’s reigning beauty queen is defying the Samoan Prime Minister and heading for the Miss World competition.
Latafale Auva’a decided to travel to China for the competition, despite Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi telling her to go to the regional pageant.
She said it’s a chance to showcase Samoa internationally.
"It's a great way to promote what we as Samoan woman can do and can achieve," said Auva’a.
Tuilaepa blasted the Miss Pacific Islands winner and said she “needs to get her priorities straight”.
The 22-year-old was expected to attend the Pacific Islands pageant to be held in the Cook Islands next month, but was required in China a month before the December 19 Miss World pageant.
Earlier this month Tuilaepa told the Samoa Observer that all Auva'a will get on the world stage is embarrassment.
"To jump onto the world stage is wanting too much... it is common practice for us to leave what we are capable of and to reach for something that we are nowhere near accomplishing," Tuilaepa said.