Miss Universe Fiji initially declared the wrong winner in its beauty pageant but has now officially recognized Nadine Roberts as the rightful titleholder.
Originally, the crown was mistakenly awarded to 24-year-old Manshika Prasad, an MBA student in Australia, while Nadine Roberts—a professional singer, commercial dancer, and property manager—was named second runner-up.
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According to a press release, the organizers’ mistake stemmed from a tie in the votes. In such cases, it’s the licensee holder who should decide the winner, not the contracted organizer. However, it appears the roles were mistakenly reversed.
“The contracted organizer rushed to announce their favorite candidate as the winner on the night, creating unnecessary confusion and controversy,” said the press release.
The press release also revealed that the contracted organizer favored a Fiji-Indian winner to capitalize on potential global business opportunities.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Roberts has faced such a situation—she has previously been mistakenly announced as a runner-up.
Nevertheless, Roberts, now officially crowned Miss Universe Fiji, will travel to Mexico City via Los Angeles to compete in the Miss Universe International Final in mid-November, proudly representing the Fijian nation.
The Miss Universe Fiji event, which brought together top figures from Fiji’s hospitality, business, and fashion sectors, marked the nation’s return to the Miss Universe stage after 43 years.
