The Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) Committee has finally issued a statement — 5 days after damaging social media attacks following the 2025 Pageant finals hosted by the Solomon Islands last Saturday.

The statement yesterday simply said the committee recognised and deeply regretted the distress caused by recent disputes concerning the result on the pageant night.

“Unfortunately, these allegations have escalated to the extent of subjecting contestants to degrading treatment and issuing threats against the lives of certain judges, thereby, detrimentally impacting the camaraderie and ethos of the pageant,” it said.

However, the statement did not address the judging controversy despite calls from around the Pacific for a proper investigation and to hold the person responsible for the false allegations of results rigging against the pageant’s head judge, Leiataualesa Jerry Brunt.

A former pageant organiser told Talamua that the statement had come “too late — too little, the damage has been done”.

The organiser said there were policies and regulations that must be followed to ensure the successful progress of the pageant and steps to be taken if such events like the allegations against a judge surfaced.

She told Talamua that the MPIP committee should have issued a statement within 24 hours of the allegations.

Opened the door to conflict
She believes that if MPIP had issued a statement earlier, it would have prevented the harsh attacks on the contestants and the head judge, but the delay had opened the door for the exchange between Samoans and Tongans on social media.

The statement did not offer an apology or reasons why a statement was not issued earlier.

It only gave an explanation on why such a pageant had been established and then acknowledged Miss Samoa Litara Ieremia Allan, the contestants, all involved in the pageant, and the host country.

According to the former pageant organiser, the MPIP seemed to take the stop notices issued on the pageant judges very lightly, which drew an unprecedented involvement of both the Solomon Islands and Samoan governments.

Although the detained judges have returned to their respectful countries, a statement from the Solomon Islands government issued yesterday said investigation was continuing based on the complaint and that formal charges would then be determined.

It should not have gone this far if the MPIP committee had done their part, said a former pageant organiser.

Republished from Talamua Online News.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

By Philip Cass

Tonga’s tourist authorities will wipe the former Miss Heilala, Kalo Funganitao, from the records in retaliation for her speech at this year’s crowning ceremony.

The committee’s decision comes a day after the Heilala Festival Committee and the Tonga Tourist Association issued a statement acknowledging Funganitao’s work in promoting Tonga during the past year.

Funganitao spoke out during the crowning ceremony about how she had been bullied since being crowned and what she said was the lack of support over the issue.

READ MORE: Anger as Tongan beauty queen’s bullying claim speech disrupted

As Kaniva News reported earlier this week, the committee said they did not condone any form of bullying.

The Tonga Tourist Association Executive Committee said yesterday Funganitao had not fulfilled the requirements of her position and all records of her reign would be removed.

“It is regrettable that as an ambassador of Tonga Miss Funganitao has not fulfilled her duties and obligations,” the committee said in a statement.

“She failed to properly hand over her reign to the newly chosen Miss Heilala 2019-2020. “

The committee said Miss Funganitao voluntarily gave up her crown and sash when she placed them on the podium and walked off the stage during the final night of the competition.

She did not crown her successor on the night

“Due to the removal of Miss Funganitao as Miss Heilala 2018 – 2019 the committee has concluded that Miss Lupe Vete who was the first runner up of the Miss Heilala Pageant 2018 – 2019 competition be recognised as the Miss Heilala for 2018 – 2019 and all future records will reflect this.”

End pageants
Funganitao’s speech and the furore following it has become a global story, with The Guardian newspaper reporting yesterday:“Tonga is in uproar after its annual beauty pageant was marred by accusations of bullying, backstabbing and racism, prompting calls by women’s rights leaders for the pageant industry to be abandoned altogether.”

Co-ordinator of Tonga’ Ma’a Fafine Moe Famili, Betty Blake, told Radio New Zealand the event should be reviewed.

She said it highlighted a wider issue with people in power trying to cope with young women.

“There’s a power struggle and there’s a cry from this young woman to be heard. I think beauty pageants have had their day.”

Philip Cass is an editorial adviser for Kaniva Tonga and a research associate of the Pacific Media Centre.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz