Miss Guyana Universe franchise owes Guyanese an explanation

Dear Editor,
Don’t people ever understand that there are major consequences when we continue to kill off our tourism sector?
I was in total disbelief when I read the news via social media that Guyana was served with a penalty of a two-year ban from competing at the Miss Universe Pageant due to the fact of handpicking the last Miss Guyana Universe 2017 winner, Miss R Khan. I am still hoping that the Miss Universe Organisation will make an official statement in support of what I read via social media forums.
For many years I have being a private tourism advocate, and trust me on this, Guyana is not an easy tourist destination to sell to the international market. The mere fact that Guyana to many is never heard of before and there is always the confusion between Ghana and Guyana. You have to constantly keep educating persons of the difference in geographic locations.I always felt that Guyana’s presence among the other Miss Universe delegates over the years is an ideal platform to showcase the Golden Arrowhead, especially with the introduction segment via global television and for the beauty ambassadors to pitch in and do their required duties in educating their fellow colleagues in competition and the international media of our existence. Guyana may not always be fortunate to crack a final, but we need to continue to always have an ambassador present and to my mind, ‘marketing means mileage.’
Locally or overseas-based organisers have to be more responsible with their duties and create an impartial image when/during the selection process of any beauty ambassador. Failing to do so, we must take responsibility when a ban is imposed. I hope this is a learning process for Guyana and we use the time away from competition and clean ourselves.

Yours faithfully,
T Pemberton