A few months ago the Ministry of Tourism held the first Miss Tourism pageant in Dili, an event the Parliamentary Women Group Timor-Leste (GMPTL), claim was exactly the same as the Miss Timor event that got axed earlier on, just with different gowns.
MP and GMPTL President, Josefa Alves dos Soares, said Miss Timor and Miss Tourism were the same event and “Maria if she wears a pink dress and then wears a blue dress will still be Maria.”
“I don’t have any problems with the Ministry of Tourism promoting tourist as that is their duty. What we need to know though are what are the priorities of the ministry for tourism in Timor-Leste,” said the MP.
She added the Miss Tourism event was organized in a hurry and some contestants didn’t even know the Minister of Tourism’s name.
“This is lamentable, a person vying to become a Miss Timor needs adequate training and preparation,” said also GMPTL President dos Soares.
The MP urged the Minister of Tourism to clarify the execution of the general state budget 2013 allocated to his ministry.
“Why haven’t tourism sites been promoted and rehabilitated, rather we are prioritizing the Miss Tourism program.”
MP Jacinta Abu-Cau Pereira said she also did not see a difference between the Miss Timor and Miss Tourism because both events were used to expose young women and their talents.
She said there was no need to hold the event now, maybe in future and with adequate preparation.
“Rather we should identify, fix tourism sites so we can attract tourists to Timor, and increase the revenue of the country,” she said.
She added the dismay of Commission D (Economy and Development) for not being consulted about the Miss Tourism event.
“We had no knowledge of it until we saw it on television. I was invited to make a speech on the day but I couldn’t attend because I had a previous engagement,” said MP Pereira.
The Director of Rede Feto, Yacinta Luzinha, also opposed the event because she feels the Ministry of Tourism should prioritize other areas of the sector in Timor-Leste such as fixing the road to Ramelau Mountain, the road to Com and access to Jaco Island, the hot springs of Marobo in Bobonaro and other sites to make it easier for tourists to access these locations and increase national revenue and generate an income for the local communities.
“The government’s money should not have been used for that event. We should use money to address real needs such as malnutrition, infantile and maternal mortality, domestic violence and other cases that still affect women,” she said.
She said the Miss Tourism program did not reflect the policy of liberating the people from poverty and the event was also not healthy for women.
“The event had no benefits or a positive impact on young women, rather it strengthened the sexual exploitation of young women,” said Director Luzinha.
In relation to the issues raised the Minister of Tourism, Francisco Kalbuady Lay, said everyone has the right to express themselves.
“I am OK with the comments because everyone has the right to express their views,” said Minister Lay.
