No local good enough to represent Trinidad and Tobago?

THE EDITOR: Recently a lot of hullabaloo was made about a 29-year-old Venezuelan woman, Mileidy Materano, being chosen to represent TT at the upcoming Miss Grand International competition in Vietnam.

Stolen Productions Ltd, the local organiser of the Miss Grand Trinidad and Tobago competition at which Materano was selected, defended the judges' choice, stating that it saw Materano as an excellent choice.

I ask, would Venezuelans – or Jamaicans – be okay with a Trinidadian/Tobagonian living in their country representing them? Absolutely not. Somehow when we go abroad we seem to know how to stay in our lane, but we are always opening our arms to all and sundry in sweet TT.

I fully understand the need to be inclusive, etc, but why should it always be at the price of our pride and patriotism? So none of the local women were good enough to represent us? Doesn't charity begin at home?

Does Materano even speak our creole language or have any deep understanding about our food, or culture, or history? From the little I have seen and heard, she does not sound like a Trinidadian/Tobagonian, so what are the folks in Vietnam supposed to think?

How are the local young women who entered the pageant supposed to think or feel? That they were not good enough to represent their own country? Being a local model can already be tough, so having to deal with the negative comments can be devastating.

Let me add that I am extremely proud that we as a nation have always been kind and supportive of others, especially those who speak Spanish, etc. We are a beautiful people but we must remember to do what we can to encourage national pride. However, having a young Venezuelan represent us is not the way to do it.

I wait to see how she performs in Vietnam and would also like to hear exactly why Materano was chosen.

I wish everyone well in this regard. Sigh!

J ALI

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