THE Miss Pacific Islands Pageant, set to be held in Nadi, Fiji, next month, is generating excitement across the Pacific—but not only for its celebration of beauty and culture.
Allegations of biased selection processes and concerns about the impartiality of judges have cast a shadow over the upcoming event, with less than a month to go.
In Fiji, Ailava Samuels, first runner-up in the Miss Fiji 2025 pageant, has been appointed to represent the country at the regional competition, following a dispute with the national titleholder.
The decision comes after Dr Peggy Ravusiro, recently crowned Miss Fiji, refused to sign a contract with the Miss Fiji Secretariat after raising concerns about the process and her treatment by the committee.
Miss Fiji Pageant Director Ana Tuiketei said the appointment was necessary, as the regional event was just four weeks away and registrations had closed.
“We followed our internal governance and contractual processes to ensure Fiji is represented,” Tuiketei said.
Speaking at a separate press conference, Ravusiro said she was uncomfortable with elements of the contract, claiming it was presented on Christmas Eve with limited time for review.
She also alleged that a member of the Miss Fiji Secretariat advised her to “lose weight” and raised concerns about her personal safety, saying.
“I am more worried about my safety, and that is the only thing I wanted to include in the contract,” she said.
Tuiketei denied the allegations, saying her remarks focused on overall fitness mental, emotional, and physical rather than physical appearance. She also noted that no formal grievances had been lodged with the committee.
She added that no formal grievances were lodged with the committee.
“We have a responsibility to make sure the best representative for Fiji is not only available but also ready to serve,” Tuiketei said, adding that Samuels would now carry Fiji’s flag at the regional event.
Despite the controversy, Ravusiro wished Samuels well, emphasising the need for unity among pageant contestants.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Solomon Islands has announced it will not compete in the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2026 in Fiji.
The decision stems from unresolved issues during last year’s pageant in Honiara, which involved Samoan judge Leiataualesa Jerry Brunt.
The Solomon Islands issued a stop order against Leiataualesa after allegations surfaced that he manipulated the score sheet to help Miss Samoa Litara Ieremia-Allan win the title. He denied the allegations and the Miss Pacific Islands organising committee also cleared him of any wrongdoing.
In a public statement, the Miss Solomon Islands Pageant Committee confirmed their withdrawal, saying incidents on the final night undermined efforts to ensure a transparent and fair process.
The Committee expressed disappointment that the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant board had not addressed their concerns.
Additional content: In-depth Solomons