Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare was the guest of honour during Saturday night’s Miss Solomon Islands 2015 crowning night where he pledged the support of the government to send the new pageant queen to the regional competition next month to be held in Cook Islands.
This year’s Miss Solomon Islands pageant event goes with the theme ‘Our Women, Our Equal Partners’ with the crowning of the winner last night Miss Mokolo Enterprises- Deeane Enoch.
The 25 year old who comes from the Western Province is a law student at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG).
The Prime Minister Sogavare said the theme is a bold statement premised on a vision to see Solomon Islands women as equal partners with men in all spheres of the society, when delivering his remarks during the occasion
“Gone are the days when we, men, think of women as inferior and that their rightful place is at home. Our women have proven themselves to be successful in their education pursuits, careers, business endeavours and are indeed equal partners with men in the development of our nation.
“We now have females in jobs that in the past were regarded as men’s only and this indeed is a positive development for our women. As the saying goes: ‘The sky is the limit’ I encourage women to pursue and live their dreams.
“I suppose some would say that this statement is not 100 percent correct because women’s pursuit to have a fair representation in Parliament is far from being accomplished yet. But I believe the time will come when we will see more women in Parliament. The Democratic Coalition for Change Government is reviewing the ‘ten free parliamentary seats for women’ arrangement,” he added.
Hon Sogavare applauded the eight pageant contestants for their boldness to be part of the prestigious beauty event and be a role model for young women in Solomon Islands.
“It takes a lot of courage and self-confidence for them to come forward to showcase the qualities they possess and subject their intelligence to public judgement,” he said.
“As in any other pageant, one would be selected for the crown and whoever amongst them is crowned our new Miss Solomon Islands tonight will represent our country at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant to be held in the Cook Islands next month.”
“That event indeed provides us with a great opportunity to promote and thus uplift the profile of our nation. This will be no easy task. It is a national duty that calls for cooperation between the government and organisers to prepare our new Miss Solomon Islands 2015 for this Pacific regional competition.”
“In this regard, I pledge the Democratic Coalition for Change Government’s commitment to fund her participation in the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant for she will be the voice and face of Solomon Islands”, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister later took to the stage during the crowning of Ms Enoch in a lively ceremony that lasted well past midnight.
– PM’s Press Secretariat
