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Kumbirai Shoniwa Entertainment Reporter
Some international models that took part in the Miss Heritage World finals in Harare last Friday are stranded in the country following complications in their travel arrangements as a result of organisational glitches that saw the pageant being postponed by a week from its scheduled date.
All models were supposed to leave the country just after the initial date of the pageant but they had to rebook flights following the postponement of the pageant.
The worst affected model is Ecuador representative Tatiana Torres from Ecuador, who is likely to spend the Christmas holiday in the country as organisers say she will only be able to get a flight on December 27. Ironically, the model would have spent exactly a month in the country as she was the first contestant to jet in on November 27.
Another model, Ramzain Suma from Sierra Leone, was scheduled to leave the country yesterday while the other two, Natalia Poluektova from Russia and Estonia’s Anastasha Leshenko, were said to be booked for Friday flights.
Sources at Miss Heritage World said the models are spending their time indoors and are apparently dejected.
Pageant organiser Tare Munzara said: “We had rebooked a flight for the Ecuador representative for December 15 after the postponement of the event but it later turned out the flight had been fully booked so the next flight will be ON December 27.”
However, an online flight check confirmed that there are several flights from South Africa to Ecuador almost daily from various airlines including South African Airways and KLM Airways from the Netherlands.
Munzara said the financially troubled pageant could not make fresh travel arrangements since the model already had a ticket.
Chaos started at the Miss Heritage World when models and fans were shut out of a venue that had secured for the event on the original date. The event was finally held at Margolis Hall last Friday and Shequera King from Bahamas was crowned queen of the pageant.
Swati Kain from India was first princess while Russia’s Poluektova was the second princess.
Man of the cloth Reverend Obadiah Musindo, through his Destiny for Africa Network’s youth wing, was among well-wishers that intervened to make the event possible.
However, indications were that he had virtually taken over the event with Munzara taking a back seat.
Some of the sponsors of the event are reportedly running around to ensure the Ecuador representative leaves before Christmas.
Destiny for Africa Network youth wing co-ordinator Lizzie Machi-ngauta said they were planning to have her leave the country on Saturday.
Online Reporter