Miss Fiji 2025 first runner-up and Miss Nasinu, Ailava Samuels, has been officially appointed as Fiji’s representative to next month's Miss Pacific Islands 2026 pageant in Nadi.
Miss Fiji Pageant Director, Ana Tuiketei confirmed the decision, saying the appointment followed the closure of Miss Pacific Islands registrations last week and the need to meet strict participation timelines.
She explained that after an extensive internal governance process, contractual reviews, and a period of engagement with the Miss Fiji 2025 title holder, medical intern Dr Peggy Ravusiro, it became clear that arrangements could not be finalised in time.
According to Tuiketei, Dr Ravusiro formally declined to enter into a contractual obligation with the Miss Fiji Secretariat.
She says that in line with pageant protocol, the Miss Fiji Committee approached the first runner-up last week and offered her the standard participation contract.
Tuiketei says Samuels formally accepted the role last Thursday and has since entered into the same contractual obligations initially offered to the title holder.
The Miss Fiji Pageant Committee has already begun a full preparation schedule for Samuels as she readies herself for the regional competition.
Tuiketei called on the public to rally behind Fiji’s representative, expressing confidence that Samuels will carry the national flag with pride, respect Pacific cultures, and promote Fiji on the regional stage.
Speaking about representing Fiji at the Miss Pacific Islands pageant, Samuels reaffirmed her readiness to serve as a leader and ambassador, emphasising the importance of preparation and responsibility in pageantry.
She says that one of the key lessons she learned from her participation in the Miss Fiji Pageant was to always be prepared.
She adds that, as a representative, she is mentally ready and fully prepared to work alongside the Miss Fiji Pageant team.
The Miss Pacific Islands 2026 pageant will be held from the 12th to the 14th of next month.
Miss South Pacific Pageant Director, Ana Tuiketei will be holding a press conference with their lawyers at 2pm today at Yue Lai Hotel.
This is in response to the claims made by Miss Fiji, Dr Peggy Ravusiro on being told that she should lose more weight, and she did not sign the Miss South Pacific Pageant contract as she felt she was going to be a mannequin for people to reprogram, to do things to.
Stay with us for updates.
Miss Pacific Islands Pageant Director, Ana Tuiketei has stressed that the Miss Fiji Pageant does not tolerate bullying.
Tuiketei stated this in response to allegations made by Miss Fiji, Dr Peggy Ravusiro, that she was bullied, racially profiled, as well as body-shamed by the Pageant Committee.
Tuiketei says taking part in a pageant requires physical and mental fortitude.
She says they welcome official complaints from Dr Peggy and her team.
She adds that the Committee is yet to receive any complaint on racial remarks, and body shaming issues.
The Pageant Director says Dr. Peggy qualified to represent Fiji when she entered the Miss Fiji pageant, as contestants had to be a Fijian citizen.
Insert: Tuiketei inclusivity Jan 14
She also wants to clarify that Dr Peggy won on merit, after an independent judging committee picked her and they were hoping that they would have her.
But Tuiketei says there is a contract that they need to enter, and they were looking out for the best interest of Fiji, and she also has a right not to enter that contract.
She says once Dr. Peggy disclosed that to the lawyers, they respected that, and she was informed that the same contract with the same terms up to the 15th of February, 2026, was being given to the first runner-up Ailava Samuels.
Miss Fiji, Dr Peggy Ravusiro says she did not sign the Miss South Pacific Pageant contract as she felt she was going to be a mannequin for people to reprogram, to do things to.
She says that was not something she was going to sell to young beautiful Melanesian women.
Insert: Dr Peggy vakarorogo Jan 13
Dr Peggy says with legal agreements, it is two parties being represented, not one alone which is why there are negotiations.
She says she was not represented at all and had said yes to the Committee giving the suggested chaperone, the very talented Ratu Penioni.
Miss Fiji says they could run their pageant, but now she was more worried about her safety, and that was the only thing that she wanted to include.
Miss Fiji Pageant Director, Ana Tuiketei had explained yesterday that after an extensive internal governance process, contractual reviews, and a period of engagement with the Miss Fiji 2025 title holder, it became clear that arrangements could not be finalised in time.
According to Tuiketei, Dr Ravusiro formally declined to enter into a contractual obligation with the Miss Fiji Secretariat.
She says that in line with pageant protocol, the Miss Fiji Committee approached the first runner-up Ailava Samuels last week and offered her the standard participation contract.
Miss South Pacific Pageant Director, Ana Tuiketei will be holding a press conference with their lawyers at 2pm today at Yue Lai Hotel.
This is in response to the claims made by Miss Fiji, Dr Peggy Ravusiro on being told that she should lose more weight, and she did not sign the Miss South Pacific Pageant contract as she felt she was going to be a mannequin for people to reprogram, to do things to.
Stay with us for updates.
Acting Prime Minister, Filimoni Vosarogo says the press release on the Miss Fiji Pageant clarifies the decision reached by government in October 2025.
Vosarogo says it clarifies government's role in approving the Miss South Pacific to come back to Fiji after 7 years and the funding which they provided to the Miss Fiji and the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant.
He says in addition, the decision of Cabinet for the Miss Fiji winner to represent Fiji was also approved.
The Acting Prime Minister says the expectation of government is that, like all cabinet decisions, it will be respected.
He says if the Miss Fiji Pageant Secretariat chose not to abide by it as they have done, it is their decision and not government endorsed departure.
Vosarogo says it is their decision and not of government as in two press conferences, cabinet endorsement/approval has been mentioned by the organizers.
He says this clarifies the position of cabinet that was often referred to in the discussions or interviews.
The Acting Prime Minister says he needed to make clear what cabinet decided and the expectation that arises thereof. He says there was a lot of misunderstanding of the cabinet decision and he has outlined that in his release.
Vosarogo says the position taken in the release does not contradict the position of Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and of Minister of Local Government Maciu Nalumisa.
He adds it clarifies cabinet process and indemnifies government from decisions made outside of cabinet.
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
