Maino clarifies move to step down

FORMER Miss PNG Lucy Maino says she agreed with the organisers of the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant Papua New Guinea (MPIP PNG) to step down after occupying the role from 2019-2020.
Maino, in a statement, said that the crown was not taken from her, but, instead, was given up after a mutual agreement with the pageant committee.
She received widespread criticism on social media after a Tiktok video of her twerking (dancing) surfaced recently.
The pageant committee then reportedly asked Maino to step down from her role which also sparked criticism from the United Nation’s country representative as well as a Member of Parliament on the treatment of Maino.
“While some have implied that the crown was taken from me, that is not the case,” Maino said.
“Instead, in an agreement with the pageant committee, I completed my service as Miss PNG Pacific.”
The 25-year-old said even though her term had been completed, but she would continue to help others as her experiences inspired her to help other women to stand strong against those who “desire to tear down and destroy young women”.
Maino said she took heart from East Sepik Governor Allan Bird’s comment: “What kind of society does not condemn the torture and killing of women yet gets upset when a young woman does a dance video.”
She said her hope was that “we, as a society, can focus on the right priorities”.