Pearl Williams, who has been a beauty show coordinator for thirty five years intends to take legal action against a contestant and the Antigua Observer, following an article that accused Williams of scamming contestants.
In an interview with ANN Miss Williams shared her side of the story, which served to clarify things such as the depleted number of contestants for the pageant, which was caused by issues such as lack of sponsorship, travel issues and more.
She noted that the date of the show had to be changed due to COVID-19 protocols that were still in place in June; it was then moved to August. However due to issues with travel this time adjusted date also was not suitable as contestants were still facing issues with getting flights into SVG. It was then moved to November.
Miss WIlliams noted that the entire program was planned around the pageant. She said following the difficulties with sponsorship and travel for the delegates, organizers decided to work with what they had.
‘Miss St. Kitts came in on the 3rd (November), which the program that we had would have started the 2nd, with the girls going to the hike, meeting with the Prime Minister, having a platform speech. This is a speech with is part of the competition, a motorcade and all of that.
We wrote to the parliament asking for the visit to the PM, we wrote to the Governor General asking also for a visit,’
Williams goes on to provide insight as to what took place on the night of the pageant.
She said the platform speech which is a part of the overall competition took place in the conference room of the Grenadines House, which, according to her, was successfully completed. Following this event, the girls were set to take part in their rehearsals. She noted that it was at this point that rain had started to fall, but said the showers were not heavy.
Williams said that judges, hair stylists, make-up artists, as well as technicians responsible for the music were already present at the venue by the time it was time for the contestants to arrive at the venue.
She said that the only part of the preparation that was not completed at that point was the putting out of the chairs, as they were chairs with fabric on them that would have been damaged by the rain. Attendees had already arrived at this point but were unable to leave their vehicles due to the rain.
She then recounted what had happened when she sent the driver to collect the contestants.
‘We sent the driver to collect the women at the apartment, the driver sent a message, saying that ‘Miss Williams it is not safe for the girls to leave, however I will park the vehicle’.
Williams said during the time that the taxi driver parked and waited, the rain had gotten heavier.
She said it was following this development that she contacted the MC for event Mr. Rochard Ballah, one of the judges, Mr. Winfield Tannis Abbott, who both indicated that they were facing difficulties with attendance due to the weather.
She then got in contact with a hairdresser who was backstage at the venue at the time with one contestant who only happened to be at the venue at that time because she had tasks to complete in town, and decided to head straight to the venue instead of going back to the apartment.
During her contact with the hairdresser Miss Browne she was sent a video with an accompanying message saying that it would be impossible for the pageant to take place that night with the weather as it was. The owner of the hotel also expressed doubt at the likelihood of the event still taking place.
She noted that everything from the DJ to the crown was already set to go but nothing could move forward due to the weather.
She then called her lawyer as well as others involved in the show to inform them of a decision she had made to have the show moved to the following day, however she noted that this would not be without its own set of challenges.
‘Then I realized we don’t have public transport on a Sunday, none of the sales offices of the radio station were open so even if we ask to promote the show for the next day that is not possible,’
She then received a second video showing the rain falling even heavier than it was in the earlier video.
She disclosed that she had a meeting with all involved in the pageant, where the pageant lawyer was also present during this meeting it was asked if the contestants would be able to stay in St. Vincent so that another attempt can be made to hold the event, however that was not possible since they had other obligations.
Regarding the registration fee that had to be paid by contestants coming to SVG for the pageant there is a required registration fee of US $1000 which covers expenses such as their travel to and from the airport, meals, accommodation and more.
She said a contribution is taken from the registration fee of each contestant which would provide for US$2000 of the US$10,000 prize money to be awarded on the night of the pageant, with the remaining amount to be paid in installments throughout the year as the reigning Queen completes her duties. Miss Williams informed us that this is standard procedure in most international level pageants.
She pointed out that all contestants in the pageant were aware of this fact, noting that they would have been included in their contestants contract which each contestant was required to sign.
In reference to the article written by the Antigua Observer, Williams said that the contents of the article were untruthful and served to damage her reputation as a veteran beauty show coordinator.
‘It was crafted to destroy my character and this will also be a legal matter,’
‘You don’t put me on an international platform for me to look bad, for me to look like a a scammer, so I am taking this matter to court. I will be filing in court tomorrow morning.’
She said she was also contacted by Loop News pertaining to the issue but refused to provide a response to them and cautioned them to write the article at their own risk.
Pertaining to the issue of the alleged miniscule breakfast the contestants were receiving, she said that the pictures shown were just a portion of the breakfast received and that the pictures were misleading.
In reference to them only having chicken and fries when they went out to dinner at a restaurant in Murray’s Village, she said she would have spoken to those in charge at the restaurant and relayed to them that there was a budget that was not to be surpassed, which would have limited the items on the menu that the contestants had access to.
Regarding the allegation that she withheld the name of the hotel that they would be staying at due to the high level of sex trafficking in St. Vincent, she completely debunked that claim. She said that all that she had asked is that when they go out that they inform the organizers of their whereabouts.
‘I said if you guys are going anywhere you need to tell us because you cannot come to a strange country and we don’t know your whereabouts. We would like if you are going out to tell us where you are going so that if anything should happen it would be my responsibility and therefore I don’t think you should go on your own.’
Regarding the claim that she gave a false hotel name, Williams said this was true and gave the reasoning behind it.
‘Yes, before the lady came here she was calling and questioning us, whether or not the show–first of all she was told the show is a bogus show, and she was told that the show was a scam, and she was finding out if the show was a scam. She said that people called her and told her not to come to St. Vincent. She even said the Tourism office in St. Vincent, when she called they said they had no knowledge of this happening in St. Vincent. And each time that she called I asked her what kind of game she was trying to play.’ she said.
She also debunked a claim by another contestant from Antigua and Barbuda who had taken part in an earlier pageant coordinated by Williams. The former contestant claimed that she had to cover all her expenses and that the show never came to fruition.
‘That is incorrect, my show was sponsored by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago–they gave us $149,000 and the Ministry of Tourism gave us another $10,000–the show was well executed in Trinidad,’
She also flagged as false a claim by the Antigua and Barbuda contestant that the winner of a pageant had not received her prize almost ten years after the pageant took place.
She noted that no other contestant in that pageant had an issue with the organizers.
Williams noted that one contestant had made disparaging remarks about SVG’s Prime Minister and she was offended by that.
‘No other contestant had a problem with the show, my main focus is, you don’t come to St. Vincent and try to disrespect our Prime Minister, nor do you come here to try to disrespect our hotels and talk about the food. And I will tell you now, let me give you list of places; they had gone to the Grenadines House hotel for breakfast, we went to the Prime Minister’s wife’s place, Cafe Soleil, for lunch, we’d gone to Mr. Branch’s’
She stated that she will be taking the Antigua Observer as well as Miss Antigua and Barbuda to court over the article. She intends to have three different lawyers involved in the case.
Miss Williams said that the show is set to take place next year on March 4th with contestants from South Africa, and more excited and making the utmost effort to attend, with a big performer slated to perform.
She noted that Miss Antigua and Barbuda was very rude from the beginning and will not be invited to take part in next year’s event.