Fiji govt steps in over pageant row, insists national winner must represent country

A political and cultural dispute has shaken Fiji’s beauty pageant world just weeks before the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2026, which the nation is hosting next month

At the heart of the storm is a clash between the government and the Miss Fiji Pageant Committee over who should carry the country’s flag on the regional stage.

The government has made it clear that Miss Fiji 2025, Dr Peggy Ravusiro, should represent the nation at the regional pageant "because that was what Cabinet agreed when it provided public funding for the national and regional events".

Acting Prime Minister Filimoni Vosarogo said in a statement that Cabinet’s decision was tied to the government’s funding support, which included a FJ$198,000 (NZ$149,580) service agreement with the Miss Fiji and Miss Pacific Islands pageants.

“In addition to funding support, Cabinet had agreed that the winner of the Miss Fiji Pageant would represent Fiji in the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant,” Vosarogo said.

He says once Cabinet has made a decision, “the expectation that such decisions will be respected must follow”.

Acting Prime Minister Filimoni Vosarogo says a Cabinet decision tied to public funding requires the Miss Fiji winner to represent the country at the regional pageant. Photo/Facebook/Fiji government

Vosarogo says decisions involving public funds should inspire public confidence, and he added that Fiji is looking forward to hosting the Pacific pageant seven years after the last time the nation welcomed queens from across the region.

But the pageant committee says otherwise. It insists that first runner-up Ailava Samuels is the rightful representative after Ravusiro was unable to sign a contract with the organisers.

According to the committee, it has received written confirmation from the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant Secretariat formally registering Samuels as Fiji’s entrant.

Miss Fiji 2025 Dr Peggy Ravusiro, left, and First Runner-up Ailava Samuels. The decision to appoint a runner-up instead of the Miss Fiji winner has triggered public backlash and intense debate across the country. Photo/Miss Fiji Pageant

In a sharply worded statement, the committee said it was acting on the instructions of the Minister for Local Government and Housing, Maciu Nalumisa, who told organisers to proceed with Samuels.

The committee added that comments by Vosarogo “contradict the position of Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and the line minister who presented the same Cabinet paper for approval”.

It also stressed that the government does not and will not interfere in the operational decisions of independent pageant organisations, including the selection and appointment of representatives to regional and international pageants.

It warned that “any attempt to remove Fiji’s representative will result in Fiji being left without any representative to the pageant”.

This dispute stems from a contract disagreement between Ravusiro and the Miss Fiji organisers.

Fiji is set to host the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant next month, a major regional event celebrating Pacific culture, unity and leadership. Photo/Facebook/Miss Sāmoa Pageant

Ravusiro says she raised legitimate concerns about the terms, including confidentiality clauses and the ability to seek independent legal advice.

She said she engaged in discussions in good faith, but that her questions were “interpreted as disrespect or attitude”.

The situation has sparked public backlash and debate in Fiji. Some commentators and former titleholders have raised concerns about transparency and governance in pageantry, and about how modern contests should balance tradition with respect for the rights of women who take part.

The Fiji fallout follows the Solomon Islands' withdrawal from the Miss Pacific Pageant. The Solomons Pageant announced it would not send a delegate to Fiji over concerns from last year in Honiara being "unresolved and have damaged trust" in the competition.

In Fiji, both sides are standing firm for now. The government insists Ravusiro should be reinstated as Fiji’s official representative, in line with the cabinet’s decision and the funding agreement.

The pageant committee says its hands are tied by the letter of registration with the Pacific pageant’s secretariat and the instructions of the relevant line minister.

With only weeks to go before Fiji hosts contestants from across the Pacific, the conflict adds an unexpected and high-stakes twist to what is normally a celebration of culture, beauty, and regional unity.

The Miss Pacific Islands Pageant gets underway on 13 February in Nadi. Confirmed contestants for the weeklong event include Miss Sāmoa Feagaimaali’i Soti Mapu, Miss Papua New Guinea Iampela Popena, Miss American Sāmoa Tofoipupu Unutoa, Miss Tonga Sioai’ana Patricia Taumoepeau, and Miss Micronesia (Kiribati) Atiterentaai Rinimarawa.

Miss Sāmoa Litara Ieremia-Allan is also the reigning Miss Pacific Islands. She attended the Miss Fiji Pageant in Suva last month.

Miss Fiji Dr Peggy Ravusiro, left, and the reigning Miss Pacific Islands Litara Ieremia-Allan from Sāmoa, who was a guest at last month's Miss Fiji Pageant in Suva. Photo/Miss Fiji Pageant