Pacific queen ready to welcome contestants, handover crown

The National Main Stories

By BERRY DINGHAN
REIGNING Miss Pacific Islands Leoshina Kariha is looking forward to welcoming Pacific queens and heir to her crown.
She said she would be happy to hand over the crown she won a year ago, emphasising: “Honour and a blessing to hand over the crown on the home soil.”
“I am also looking forward to mentoring other Pacific sisters who are going to come on board MPIP platform to share the message on empowering each other and supporting one and another as women in the region.
Starting from Madang as a 17-year-old and through this journey and ending at 19 years of age, I have truly grown and I would like to thank the nation for their support and the Pacific region as well,’’ Kariha said.
She said PNG had to be proud of hosting one of the biggest MPIP quests in history as 14 Pacific Island countries would be participating (including PNG).
“The event will bring a lot people to Port Moresby and we must be ready to showcase them what we have as a country.”
Kariha thanked the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) for its support to broadcast the event live on radio and television.
NBC managing director Kora Nou said they were happy to partner MPIP to take the event to another level in broadcasting the event live on radio and television.
He said MPIP was gaining significance as it was not only about the beauty queen but role models for the younger generation in PNG and the Pacific.
Chairman of MPIP PNG Molly O’Rourke thanked NBC for partnering MPIP.
She said the MPIP platform was expanding and attracting other Pacific nations as it provided an opportunity for young women to be able to speak on behalf of women and girls and the voiceless on issues they faced in their communities. She said the event was more than just a beauty contest.
Miss PNG Lucy Maino acknowledged support of PNGTPA and NBC. She said she was looking forward to welcoming beauty queens from the Pacific. “Being the face of PNG and representing more than eight million people is a great privilege,’’she said.