PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – The Honourable Marlene McDonald, Trinidad & Tobago’s Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs, wishes to convey the gratitude of the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago to the Miss Trinidad and Tobago World delegate Gabrielle Walcott, the 2nd runner up in the 2008 Miss World Competition, for her excellent performance at the Competition which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa earlier today, December 13, 2008.
The Ministry shares with the national community our immense pride in the achievement of Miss Walcott and her embodiment of beauty with a purpose, the true ethos of the Competition.
Gabrielle Walcott, Miss TT for Miss World
On her way to securing the third place in the Competition, our representative, Miss Walcott copped the 1st place in the “Beauty with a purpose” segment of the competition which focuses on the charity work in which contestants are involved in their homeland. Miss Walcott highlighted her successful effort at raising $100,000 for the Pediatric Specialty Unit in Trinidad and Tobago for children with cancer.
This success made her a “Fast Track winner” and therefore an automatic semi-finalist in the Competition. Miss Walcott was also the 2nd place winner in the “World Designer Award” for her evening gown. Her results are testimony to her discipline and all round efforts over the months of preparation for the Competition and her personal commitment to her chosen charity.
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago remains conscious of the tremendous opportunity afforded by the Miss World pageant for the promotion of our country and the development of delegates like Miss Walcott as possible role models for our young women. As in previous years therefore, the Government provided the financial support necessary to assist in enabling our delegate to not only prepare herself, but to compete and produce results such as that which we celebrate today and of which the country takes immeasurable pride.
The Ministry takes this opportunity, on behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, to again applaud the efforts of Peter Elias and Associates, the franchise holders of both the Miss World and the Miss Universe Competitions, for their continued efforts in preparing our delegates for the competitions. The Ministry again encourages the private sector and the national community in general, to partner with the franchise holders in respect of future competitions and, in particular, the provision of assistance to local charities selected by future delegates.
