After a wait of two years, it has been confirmed that former Miss St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Shivern Peters, will leave the state on Wednesday, July 5, for the Miss Universe Pageant slated for July 23 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.

Chairperson of the local Beauty Shows Committee Cheryl Rodriquez revealed this to Searchlight on Saturday.{{more}}

According to Rodriquez, plans are being put in place to facilitate Shivern’s participation in the event.

Shivern, who won both the Miss SVG and Miss Carival pageants in 2003 was expected to participate in last year’s pageant in Bangkok, Thailand, but the local beauty queen had to cancel last year’s trip due to lack of sponsorship to meet a budget of some $80,000.

But thanks to the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Shivern’s trip will be a reality this year.

“It is confirmed Shivern would be going to the Miss Universe pageant this year, and I must thank the Minister of Culture and the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for this,” Rodriquez said.

Shivern will carry this country’s flag with the hope of coming close to Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Wendy Fitzwilliams, who copped the title in 1998.

“I am feeling elated that I am about to represent my country at such a level,” she told SEARCHLIGHT.

“My country has spent a lot of money to send me there so I am going to do my best and hope to make it on to the final round,” Shivern said.

According to the beauty contestant, her trip to the Miss Universe pageant is something she has been preparing for since last year.

“I have been gradually preparing myself for the event, working closely with the Beauty Shows Committee.

“Right now I am busy toning up and working out in the gym; also I have been doing a bit of stage work and keeping up with current affairs,” she said.

Shivern now joins a group of privileged Vincentian girls who have represented this country on the international scene, the last one being Laferne Fraser who represented St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the Miss Universe Pageant in Ecuador in 2004.

The Bequia lass who created history in 2003 by becoming the first native of that Grenadine island to capture a Miss SVG and Miss Carival title, will be accompanied to the pageant by Vincentian Fashion Designer Alexandra Grant.

See portraits of Shivern and other contestants at the Miss Universe website:

http://www.missosology.org/missuniverse06/mu06