Miss Cayman Islands Universe pageant cancelled, 2019 runner-up to represent nation
This year’s staging of the Miss Cayman
Islands Universe pageant has been scrapped, organisers said.
The Miss Cayman Islands Universe Committee made the announcement on Friday (July 19) noting that social distancing requirements and the new economic realities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic made this year’s staging almost impossible. According to the committee, the strict social distancing measures would make it almost impossible to host a live pageant before August 31 which was a necessary requirement to qualify for the official Miss Universe pageant. The committee further revealed that the preparation that goes into training contestants prior to the grand event are impossible to be executed safely under COVID-19 regulations.
“The Committee is saddened by this decision as they have received five applications from eligible young ladies, one of whom would have become the next Miss Cayman Islands Universe. However, this decision follows the inability to host a live pageant under our local COVID-19 regulations, further to the guidelines of the official Miss Universe which state that all participating countries must host a pageant before 31 August 2020,” read a release from the local committee. Social distancing requirements were not the only factors preventing the staging of the event, the committee also noted that the financial conditions created by the pandemic made it almost impossible to approach sponsors. “The pandemic has had a financial strain on our community and the committee could not in good conscience approach sponsors when we’ve all experienced such a difficult time financially over the last few months,” said Committee Chairperson, Derri Dacres-Lee. “Neither could the Committee see how it was safe or economically feasible to host the local pageant which draws hundreds of people in an enclosed ballroom. Given this, the Committee believes that it’s best to postpone this year’s pageant,” added Lee. However, the committee said it’s received approval, under the circumstances, from the Miss Universe Organization to send Mariah Tibbetts, last year’s first runner-up, to the global pageant.
