The Miss World Organization has been forced to review the reign of the current titleholder Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh, in light of the pandemic due to the novel coronavirus.

Singh, who is four months into her reign has had her plans halted due to global restrictions on international travel and according to chairman and CEO of Miss World, Julia Morley, if this continues for a protracted period the plan is to execute some of the projects digitally.

“The plan is to switch the activities to online over the next three months, and should freedom of travel be lifted before July we will revert to the ‘Beauty With A Purpose’ global tour visiting countries and projects.”

“For the moment, we haven’t cancelled any events for Toni-Ann, we have moved them back to later in the year in the hope that travel restrictions will be lifted. The most immediate was the fashion show we had planned for Jamaica with Miss World and all the continental queens to raise money for an education programme to deliver distance learning for pregnant girls and teenage mothers at the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation, which is her ‘Beauty With A Purpose’ project. This work will continue to progress, so when we get back to ‘business’ as normal, we will be in a position to act quickly,” Morley told the Jamaica Observer.

She was quick to point out that the current situation will not negatively impact the reign of the Jamaican beauty as the charity work will continue, just in a different way..

“We don’t see this will impact her reign, we might just have to do things differently. She is still Miss World and will continue to use her influence to bring about social and cultural change, which will be even more relevant in these uncertain times. We are adapting quickly to the current situation and are working on some exciting plans, which we can’t share right now but as soon as we can you, we will update you,” said Morley.

Since being crowned Miss World on December 14 last year at the ExCel Exhibition and International Convention Centre in London, Singh visited seven countries before the COVID-19 pandemic struck and, according to Morley, the aim is to travel to an additional three countries per month before her reign is over.

Among the events Singh attended was at the annual telethon organised by Varity Clubs International in Iowa in the United States. This event raised US$4 million for various charities. She also journeyed to Nepal to support ‘Beauty With A Purpose’ project, where the Miss World Organisation donated US$40,000. Singh was also in South Africa where she visited Mvezo, Nelson Mandela’s village, as guests of Chief Mandela to celebrate his mother’s 70th birthday and donated 3,000 pairs of school shoes to local children.

Singh is the fourth Jamaican beauty to take the international title. She joins Carole Joan Crawford in 1963, Cindy Breakspeare in 1976, and Lisa Hanna in 1993.