Miss Universe T&T stripped of title
(Trinidad Guardian) This country’s Miss Universe T&T pageant first runner-up Martrecia Alleyne is now being considered to replace stripped delegate Yvonne Clarke.
The local franchise holder for the pageant, Jenny Douglas, was weighing this option yesterday after she stripped Clarke of her title over an alleged breach of contract nine days before she was due to leave for the international event in Las Vegas.
Less than two weeks after winning the title, Clarke was told via email from Douglas that she would no longer be able to represent the country.
But during a press conference at the St James studio of soca artiste Fay Ann Lyons yesterday, Clarke demanded an apology from Douglas, saying she did nothing wrong in seeking sponsorship on her own, including from Lyons. She claimed she was left with no choice after all she received from Douglas was an “old black dress” and an admission they did not have “all the resources” to get her to the competition.
“I asked her if there was anything else the franchise could give me beside a dress and she (Douglas) said no. I did not do anything without the authorisation of the franchise holder. She even sent me letterhead from the Miss Universe TT which to this day I did not use,” Clarke maintained at the press conference.
She said Douglas told her she could seek sponsorship from anyone locally “except from the Government.” She said from day one of the local pageant she felt something was wrong, as there were several “hiccups” along the way. This, she said, prompted her to document all her conversations with Douglas, including taping telephone conversations.
Saying she was forced to dip into her personal finances to prepare herself, Clarke said through a friend she was told to approach Lyons for help.
Lyons, Clarke said, had been instrumental in getting her a plane ticket, professional hair and make-up artists and even organising several professional photo shoots.