Who was the Searchlight worker who got ‘special treatment’ at Miss P’tani?

Just who was that media worker from SEARCHLIGHT, who, according to another newspaper, got preferential treatment at the Miss P’tani pageant at the La Croix Boxing Plant on June 17?

Last Friday, The News newspaper, in an article headlined “Two journalists face discrimination at P’tani show,” said Ashford Peters, a freelance journalist attached to The News and Kenton Chance of I-Witness News{{more}} were asked to pay to enter the pageant, while a media worker from SEARCHLIGHT was among other media workers who were allowed to enter free.

The article stated that as Peters stood outside the venue on June 17, contemplating whether to pay the gate fee, he saw two workers from other media houses being allowed to enter for free. The article further stated that the two media workers who entered for free were from SEARCHLIGHT and the Vincentian.

This claim by The News that a SEARCHLIGHT media worker was allowed to enter the pageant venue while Peters stood outside the gate is false and misleading.

The only media worker from SEARCHLIGHT who was present at that venue at any time that night was journalist Ari Shaw, who arrived there after 2 a.m., long after Peters had entered the venue and just before the end of the show.

Shaw related that on his arrival, he was able to walk into the venue, as the security personnel responsible for collecting tickets at the gate had already left.

So, who is that media worker from SEARCHLIGHT who was allowed to enter the show for free, while Peters stood outside, having been prevented from entering?

We would like to know.