Fiji's first Miss Universe beauty pageant in more than 40 years has been "tainted" by ugly accusations, a New Zealand judge at the contest says.
Manshika Prasad, a 24-year-old MBA student, was adorned with her tiara and winner's sash on stage at Fiji's Pearl Resort and Spa last week.
Days later, after she had celebrated winning the chance to represent Fiji at the international beauty pageant in Mexico in November, everything changed.
Prasad celebrated her win with a photoshoot on a boat around the sparkling waters of the South Pacific island nation. Photo: Asvin Singh
Over the weekend, a press release from Miss Universe Fiji claimed that "correct procedures" had not been followed and Prasad's title was given to runner-up Nadine Roberts, a 30-year-old model and property developer from Sydney whose mother is Fijian.
Marine biologist Melissa White had flown over from New Zealand to represent an environmental charity as a judge at the event. She told RNZ's Midday Report on Monday that the days following the win had taken away from what should have been a historic event for Fiji.
"This whole thing is tainted.
"When the votes were counted on the night of the event, it was four to three. So Mansheka Prasad had the four votes to the three and was given the crown as the clear winner," White said.
"Two days later we were told that the crown had been taken from her and that all of a sudden there was an eighth judge who was the licensee of the holder for the Miss Universe Fiji."
The controversy about the winner centres around this extra eighth vote, with vote-rigging allegations flying.
"That was all very strange, to all of us judges," White said.
"It was just a bit unheard of that there was an absentee judge all of a sudden, and now all of a sudden there was a tie, there was a tie-breaker, and this other girl wins and they take the crown away from the girl who won fairly that night," White said.
Fiji had not held a Miss Universe competition since 1981 as they had not been able to find anyone willing to fund a national pageant in the small island nation.
The global beauty pageant is run on a franchise basis, which enables licensees to use the brand and sell tickets. This year, property development firm Lux Projects Bali inked a deal for Fiji.
RNZ has reached out to Lux Projects and Miss Universe Fiji for comment.
In a social media post, Prasad said the experience "has been a wild ride of growth and challenges" and that she was "beyond excited" to take on the world. Roberts had posted that "the world needs to see the FULL crowning footage from the MUF finals". Neither had replied to a request for an interview.
White said on Monday morning that she understood the Miss Universe Organisation had stepped in and reinstated Prasad as the rightful winner after a "really confusing" few days.
Prasad has been reappointed the winner of Miss Universe Fiji. Photo: Asvin Singh
"It was quite an emotional rollercoaster for her," White said.
"The night of the crowning was life-changing for her and she was so grateful and she just couldn't believe it was happening to her.
"She had this big burst of emotion when she won and then it was all taken away from her.
"Now she has understood that all of the judges have been fighting for her because we wanted to truth to come out, we wanted people to know what actually happened and what was fair."
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