MISS BELIZE UNIVERSE NEEDS PUBLIC SUPPORT

April 12, 2007

Miss Belize Universe calls on the public for support. Miss Belize Universe, Maria Jeffrey and  Executive Director of Pageants Belize, Margaret Johnson were today’s guests on Love FM’s Morning Show. According to Johnson, Miss Belize Universe needs to pay the required 10 thousand dollars by this weekend so that Maria can leave Belize at the end of the month.

Margaret Johnson: Executive Director of Pageants Belize

“Maria leaves for the Ms. Universe Pageant April 29. She goes into Chetumal and then into Merida and she over nights in Merida before she goes into the finals for the Ms. Universe Pageant in Mexico City. That is because we want to make sure that when she arrives, she arrives looking mighty fine, looking very good, beautiful and fresh. What we need for her to be able to arrive at the Ms. Universe Pageant is outfits. We need support financially for various things not just clothing we need to pay a fee of ten thousand dollars to the Ms Universe Organization on April 15 which is just right around the corner. So if you have an extra dollar, two dollars whatever it is, please support, we need outfits to last Maria for a whole month, can you imagine going to cocktails for a whole month and have to find a dress for every night. That is the position we find ourselves in. They are lots of things, it is not just about giving her an evening gown, it is not just about giving her a costume and it is not just about giving her a national gift. Speaking about the national gift, we are looking at giving a Jade necklace kind of earrings, if anybody out there has this kind of accessory, we are looking to come and visit you and hopefully you are able to contribute a set, because we want actually something that Maria can wear there.When she puts in on for the action not only Maria gets coverage but the person who donates it, everything about it, everything about Jade in Belize and the Jake Head that was found in Belize. Everything about the Mayan culture will come up.” 

Johnson says that given the years that delegates from Belize have competed in the Miss Universe Pageant, this is the first time, Belize qualifies in every aspect of the pageant requirements.However, she says they are not getting the necessary support from the public and the business community in order to give Belize solid representation at the Miss Universe Pageant.

Margaret Johnson: Executive Director of Pageants Belize

“In the past three, four years that we have sent delegates to the Ms. Universe Pageant Belize have come out and supported them. What we did not know including myself and I have participated fully in trying to help other contestants to be able to go to the Ms Universe Pageant in terms of training and helping people to be at there very best. What I did not know until we got the franchise and look at the information inside of it, is that the director has a responsibility to the country of Belize to the delegate representing Belize to make sure that everything that we do makes her qualify to participate in the Ms Universe Pageant. It was very disheartening to find out that the last three delegates that represented Belize, one was either too old, one had participated previously in an international pageant and won the pageant and as a result technically was disqualified and the other person was not selected in a legitimate pageant. At the time we were working with these young ladies we had no idea that those things were being counted against them, I did not have any idea by the way that those things were being counted against us and I am imagining that Belize did not know that either. My point here is that if we were willing to support three delegates who by the way did there out most best and by hats off to each one of them because they represented us well, but not know certain things upfront to them makes it very difficult for us to be able to participate at the Ms. Universe and get a chance into the semi-finals. Now here we have Ms. Maria Jeffery that qualifies in every single aspect of what is required from us from Belize to be able to represent us well. She is qualified in every single way, as the director I have made sure that everything that the Ms. Universe has ask us to do we have complied with. If we are willing to support delegates for the past three years not knowing whether they qualify or not and I am here right now telling that Ms. Jeffery qualifies in every single way. What I am begging the audience out there, begging the public, begging the businesses or everybody to please support her.This pageant is in our back yard in Mexico City, it is not probably going to come any closer than Mexico City. We have a great opportunity to make the semi-finals this year and I do not say that just as a person that gives out credits to people I trust Maria, I believe in Maria, I believe that Maria has the potential for greatness this year at Ms. Universe Pageant and I would just hope that the public out there would see that support her, and not only support her but support Belize. It does not matter if it is a dollar, fifty cents a quarter, go over to Mala’s carry over there and you will get a receipt for it, go to any Scotia Bank in the country and deposit to the account Pageant Belize.” 

Maria shares with us what it has been like for her since she was crowned Miss Belize Universe. Maria says that coupled with her enthusiasm about the pageant, she is ready, in all regards to represent Belize well.

Maria Jeffrey: Miss Belize Universe

“From the night I became Ms. Belize Universe which was one of the best moments of my life. I have notice that I have become much more confident in myself and much more confident in speaking to the media because I have had so many training. I have also been able to participate in many activities that Belize had put together which I have enjoyed very much. I have traveled various places, very excited; I know anybody here in Belize would love to enjoy that as well so I have had the privilege of doing so. I love to share it with everyone that is why I am here on the media. I want to go further as well too, so that I can share it with international people, what I have seen, what Belize is like, now I can tell them about my country. I just need the support, I just need people to come out and support me so that I can go and represent well. I already mentally and physically prepared and now I just need to have the sponsorship so that I can represent you well.” 

Maria Jeffrey Miss Belize Universe. In an effort to meet the expenses of the pageant a raffle will soon be drawn, as Johnson, explains.

Margaret Johnson: Executive Director of Pageants Belize

“Support the raffle for every fifty dollars that they donate they get a free ticket to get a chance to go to the Ms. Universe Pageant. It is an all expense paid trip, you get your ticket, you get hotel, you get food, you get transportation and you get your ticket to the finals.That’s not just any ticket, that’s a ticket that puts you in the first ten rows of the Ms. Universe Pageant that night and it also put you at the hotel where the delegates are going to be staying and all the VIP.The raffle is two dollars; we made it cheap enough so that everybody would be able to support it. Anywhere that you see the sign Ms Universe raffle ticket sold here, in the districts, in Belize City go in and get your ticket even if it is just one and show up at princess on the 19 because if you are there at Princess on the 19 when the raffle draws then you get an extra bonus ticket and that to the coronation ball. The Coronation Ball is where you can meet Mr. Donald Trump, you can get signatures of every single person that participates in the Ms Universe Pageant, and you can get pictures of the delegates, the judges. You will get to see Ms Universe there you can even get to have an autograph from her but you need to be able to be there. So buy your ticket and support Belize.” 

Margaret Johnson, Executive Director of Pageants Belize.

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