SYDNEY (Reuters) – The organisers of the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant on Thursday called for unity after judges were stopped from leaving the Solomon Islands amid claims of fraudulent activities after Miss Samoa won the contest for the second year in a row.
Solomon Islands, which hosted the pageant, said it had lifted an exit ban on judges leaving the country on Wednesday afternoon, although a police investigation continued into what it said was “alleged fraudulent activities during the crowning of the Miss Pacific on Saturday 8th February”.
Samoa’s government said in a statement that the Samoan head judge, Leiataualesa Jerry Brunt, was stopped at the airport in the capital Honiara on Tuesday when trying to return home.
The Solomon Islands said in a statement that the Minister for Home Affairs had told border officials to stop all pageant judges, as well as scrutineers, from leaving the country after receiving complaints of fraud in how Miss Samoa was crowned as the new Miss Pacific.
“The ‘Stop Notice’ only restricts the judges or relevant persons from departing Solomon Islands, but were not detained and are given the freedom to move around Honiara city,” it said.
Two of the five judges, from Papua New Guinea and Tonga, had already departed before the stop notice was issued, it added.
Brunt told Samoa Global News he would demand an apology for his treatment and the false accusations. Reuters could not reach him for comment.
The Pacific Islands Pageant was established by the Samoa government in 1987 to promote the region’s culture, and contestants are judged on best sarong, traditional attire, talent and interview. The pageant’s board is drawn from multiple Pacific Island states, a Samoa Tourism spokesman said.
The newly crowned Miss Pacific Islands Litara Ieremia Allan returned home to Samoa on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Michael Perry)
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