Changes for Miss Universe pageant

Miss Universe Barbados is coming bigger and better this year, and with some major and exciting changes.

Speaking to Weekend Buzz at the launch earlier this week at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC), national director of Miss Universe Barbados, Bryan Green, said he was thrilled to have the franchise for a third consecutive year and to announce the exciting changes.

Among the changes is the age criterion.

“This year we are making some big changes to the show. For one, there will be lots more stuff happening on stage. We have also changed the age requirement. So it’s 18-26 for us.

“The Miss Universe franchise allows franchises globally to go as far as 28 but no one can go below 18. In the almost 70 years of the Miss Universe show, no one has won over the age of 26 and only two people were 26, everyone else 25 or under. And because we are looking for Miss Universe we are honing down to what they are looking for,” Green said.

Another change to the pageant scheduled for September 18 at the LESC, will be the inclusion of international judges.

Miss Universe Barbados 2018 will go under the theme, The Search For the Hidden Gem, and will also be focusing on global movements #Me2, #TimesUp and #lifeingleggings.

“This entire team is made up of feminist. We believe this is a time in the Caribbean where young men mistake misogyny for flattery. It’s important that our young ladies have that platform to talk about what it’s like to walk the street in Bridgetown and how it affects their lives and it’s important that we share that message . . . ,” Green added.

The director also expressed his delight in the great work that reigning Miss Universe Barbados Lesley Chapman-Andrews did during her tenure.

“To go forward we have to look back. Last year we were thrilled
to crown Lesley. She has been beyond amazing, there’s lots of things that she’s been doing. During her time her social media garnered over one million impressions. People loved her and they were following her,” he added.

Registration for the pageant is now open and confidently beautiful ladies from all backgrounds are invited to apply. (DB)