A COVID (Miss) World
Miss Jamaica ‘disappointed but rolling with the punches’
Published:Friday | December 17, 2021 | 7:18 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Disappointment seems to be the name of the game for the contestants and all those involved in this year’s 70th staging of the Miss World competition, and there is also a bit of déjà vu. Last year, the decision was taken to postpone the competition altogether because of the pandemic, and the big 70th anniversary celebrations shifted to this year.
However, literally hours before the grand finale on Thursday evening, a postponement was announced, and again COVID-19 is to be blamed. In a press release, the organisers said the decision was made after “additional positive cases were confirmed [Thursday] morning”.
“After meeting with the virologists and medical experts hired to oversee the Miss World 2021 event and discussing with the Puerto Rico health department, the decision has been made to postpone the globally broadcast finale at the Puerto Rico Coliseum José Miguel Agrelot.”
Contestants from 98 countries are participating in the Miss World contest, which is being held in Puerto Rico.
Up to Wednesday evening, the competition’s Instagram page was actively posting updates, with the last one stating, “In less than 24 hours, the grand finale of Miss World will be under way, and one of these incredible ladies will be crowned Miss World 2021.”
DISAPPOINTED
Dahlia Harris, the co-franchise holder of the Miss Jamaica World beauty pageant, spoke briefly to The Gleaner from Puerto Rico, where Jamaica has two representatives, the reigning Miss World, Toni-Ann Singh, and Khalia Hall, Miss Jamaica World 2021.
“We are obviously disappointed about the postponement,” Harris said. “It’s difficult for the ladies to have been away from home and actively competing for almost a month for it to come to this. Khalia, while disappointed, has been taking the news as best as can be expected. She has been ‘rolling with the punches’ as they have arisen over the three weeks, and she is meeting this with a similar attitude.”
She added, “Health and safety are a priority. We wish for [a] speedy recovery for those who have tested positive and that those who are negative remain so.”
While the organisers have not released a specific number of positive cases, Puerto Rican daily Primera Hora on Thursday quoted a figure from Puerto Rico’s health department spokesperson Lisdian Acevedo. “In the case of Miss World, there are 17 positives ... yesterday there was talk of seven, but that number went up,” Acevedo reportedly said, adding that none of those who tested positive had been hospitalised. However, there is still a mandatory 10-day quarantine.
The publication noted that all those infected had been vaccinated and that the figure includes Miss World contestants and members of the technical team associated with the production.
The organiser said in the release:”The next step according to the medical experts is immediate quarantine, pending observation and further testing according to best practices in situations like this. Once and only when contestants and staff are cleared by health officials and advisors will contestants and related staff return to their home countries.”
According to Julia Morley, CEO of Miss World Ltd, “We are very much looking forward to the return of our contestants (who we have grown to know and love), to compete for the Miss World crown.”
The organisers promise that the finale will be rescheduled at Puerto Rico Coliseum José Miguel Agrelot within the next 90 days.