Kimberly Farrah Singh may have won the battle to represent T&T in next month’s Miss World Pageant in China but her struggle to get there is far from over.
Speaking on her behalf yesterday, one of the attorneys Rondell Donowa, who made her victory possible, said she still needed a substantial portion of the $35,000 required for air travel.
He said she was scheduled to leave for China Saturday but because of the cash flow problem, the reservation has been extended until next Thursday.
Donowa said the road ahead would be tough for Singh who has to make the journey to China alone as there was no money for not even a chaperone.
He said they were also trying to source a wardrobe, including a national costume and a gown for the competition.
“We are pleading on her behalf if any organisations which want to come together to assist,” Donowa said.
He said attorneys representing both Singh and Miss World franchise holder Vanessa Sahatoo-Manoo met on Tuesday to chart a way forward and had agreed on a number of areas.
“Both parties were very upbeat and willing to put this issue behind them and move forward for the greater good because at the end of the day we are representing Trinidad and Tobago.”
Donowa said both Sahatoo-Manoo and Singh were advised not to make any public statements at the moment as they tried to heal the rift.
He added: “The franchise holder indicated she was making progress in terms of sponsorship and Kimberly is also seeking sponsorship from certain persons.
“We (the attorneys from Fortitude Chamber who fought her case) are trying to make this is possible for her because we see her as a young person, like ourselves, who needed her just due and we were successful.”
He said Singh, who continued to train while her firing was in arbitration, is also making progress.
“She is fine tuning things with regards to a stipend and getting the national costume and wardrobe.
“A number of clothing stores have committed to assist. She is also receiving a lot of assistance from the past Miss World delegate Sara Jane Waddle and she is doing well.”
The issue
Singh was dethroned and replaced by the first runner-up Daniella Walcott.
She took the matter to court and it was referred for arbitration.
On Monday, arbitrator Ernest Koylass, SC, ruled that while Singh breached specific terms of the beauty pageant agreement, such breaches were not fundamental enough to warrant her termination as Miss World T&T.
He, therefore, ordered that she be reinstated and that each party bear their own legal costs of the arbitration and that both parties attempt to agree on the way forward to arrive at a mutually accepted resolution of this matter.
Attorneys for Kimberly Farrah Singh:
• Prakash Maharaj.
• Rhon Mitchell.
• Frank Gittens.
• Rondell Donowa.
Attorneys for Vanessa Sahatoo-Manoo:
• Kevin Ratiram.
• Charlene Kalloo.