I thought this was something connected to Theo ... nevertheless, respect due.
'Gaby' did T&T proud, says Elias
Camille Bethel cbethel@trinidadexpress.com
Sunday, December 14th 2008
Miss Trinidad and Tobago Gabrielle Walcott yesterday emerged second runner-up at the 2008 Miss World Beauty Pageant.
Walcott came in behind Miss India, Parvathay Omanakuttan, the first runner-up, and Miss Russia, Kseniya Sukhinova, who won the Miss World crown in Johannesburg, South Africa, in a glittering African-themed pageant where she outshone 108 other international beauties and pledged to "help people". Walcott made it into the final five, beating out beauties from 109 countries and having to best it out with Miss India, Miss Russia, Miss Angola and Miss South Africa.
In a telephone interview yesterday, queen-maker Peter Elias expressed his joy over the results, which he described as a blessing.
"I just feel such pride to see all the hard work that we all did as a team and to have this as the outcome.
"I feel blessed that we have had this blessing from God. It is important that we recognise that it is a blessing, because not everyone wins," he said.
Elias said Walcott's dress, which was designed by local designer Bobby Ackbarali who is based in Canada, was nominated for the pageant's best dress award which Miss USA won.
"But she did win the best Beauty with a Purpose award for her work with the Just Because Foundation," he said of Walcott.
He said this was a big deal for Trinidad and Tobago because the charity work was showcased on international television during the pageant, which was viewed by millions of people around the world.
This, he said, is what Walcott wanted to do -make her country proud.
"I have spoken with her and right now she is at the coronation ball. All Gaby wanted was to make her country proud and she has," he said.
Noting that this was his last pageant, Elias also said:
"This pageant is the end of the road for me. It was my final pageant but I am hopeful that from this result everyone in this country will feel that they have the potential to be great."
He said all of the hard work that he has done in promoting the beauty pageant locally over the past 15 years was for that purpose.
"We have seen our flag flown high over time, and I wish that my successor would get much more support than I did to continue that because the true benefit of pageants like this is building national pride and promoting the country."