Precious Piper-Derrick wins Trinidad and Tobago's Mrs World title

COMMUNICATIONS assistant in the Office of the Parliament, Precious Piper-Derrick, representing San Fernando, was crowned Mrs World at a competition held at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) on October 1.

She topped five other competitors representing Maraval, Marabella, Siparia, Point Fortin, Siparia – one day after her 31st birthday. She told the Newsday this was one of the best birthday gifts ever.

Outgoing title holder, Yolandra John-Edwards, who as Mrs World Ambassador, is also the franchise holder for the competition, placed the crown on her head.

Piper-Derrick will represent Trinidad and Tobago at the Mrs World pageant – an event dedicated to married women and mothers on December 10, in Las Vegas. The mother of two boys also copped the award for Mrs Intelligence.

In second place was one of the crowd’s favourite, Ketisha Williams, who represented Chaguanas. Williams also captured the Mrs Congeniality and Mrs Multi Media special awards.

Termeosja Amun, representing Marabella, placed third.

Amun burst into tears after winning several special prizes for Mrs Elegance, Mrs Fitness and Mrs Photogenic and was comforted by Williams and Piper-Derrick.

She later told the Newsday those were tears of joy.

“After being away from pageants for five years, during which time I got married and had two children,” Amun said, “I was a bit emotional and excited at the same time to receive three special prizes.”

She said she was quite comfortable with her placing and grateful to be in the competition and bond with the other competitors.

In an interview after being crowned, Piper-Dick, of Union Hall, San Fernando, said she was overwhelmed by the results.

“It is such a privilege to be a wife and mother, but the challenge is always time. There are 24 hours a day and seven days a week, so one should really find the time to do things we are really passionate about. I was really passionate about this (pageant) and thank God, I found the time to do it.”

Being a pageant girl at heart, Piper-Dick said while most beauty pageants usually close the door on married women, she was quite attracted to this competition which did just the opposite.

“I was excluded from a lot of competitions because I got married really young.” She has been married to her husband, Hesy-re Derrick, for ten years

“Just being eligible for a competition which is really a wonderful platform in terms of its humanitarian work, is a wonderful opportunity for me.

“We are in 2022 and we shouldn’t have restrictions based on marital status, gender or race. Nothing at all should hold us back from what we truly want. Being a married woman and being excluded from a pageant because of that is so 1900.”