Controversy erupted around the 2024 Miss Universe Fiji event after the organisers said they crowned the wrong winner, and the runner-up was the actual winner. Despite crowning a winner on stage, the pageant organizers released a statement saying that the mistake happened due to a contracted organizer not following the correct procedure.
Manshika Prasad, 24, was initially awarded winner of the Miss Fiji 2024 pageant, while Nadine Roberts, 30, became the runner-up. The event was being held in Pearl Resort in Pacific Harbour on Friday, last week.
In the statement, Miss Universe Fiji (MUF), said: "A controversial decision by judges on the night incorrectly awarded the wrong winner at the Gala Top Ten finalists Event held at the Pearl Resort last night, that has led heartbreak and tears for two contestants."
"The actual winner of the top 10 was Nadine Roberts, but she was announced as the Runner Up on the night, after a rushed announcement and error. Unfortunately for Miss Roberts, this has happened to her twice now, after the pageant wrongly announced another winner Manshika Prasad."
MUF said that an internal review revealed that a tie occurred in the voting for the winner, with both the Fiji Indian and non-Indian contestants receiving four votes each. The contracted organizer failed to count the deciding vote by the licensee holder, which led to confusion over the winner's selection.
However, Grant Dwyer, the contracted organiser of the event, hit out at MUF, claiming that there was no mistake and Prasad was the actual winner.
"The 7 x official winners voted Manshika Prasad winner of the title. One of the 7 judges was a Lux Property Bali (Miss Universe Fiji licence holder) representative while the other 6 judges were all independent, confirmed and presented on the official website originally," Dwyer claimed in a media interview.
Manshika Prasad, a 23-year-old MBA student in Australia, reacted to the controversy saying she is the 'official winner' and there is a 'so much more going on behind the scenes that the public is unaware of.'
Here's a portion of her statement: "Officially, I am Miss Universe Fiji. I was voted for by 4 of the 7 judges, the remaining 3 voting for the Runner Up. The judging was conducted fairly and ethically – anything mentioned in unofficial articles online holds no substance as there is so much more going on behind the scenes that the PUBLIC IS UNAWARE OF.
"The support I’ve received from all of you have been insurmountable, and despite all the bad that’s been going on – my heart is full."