BCW confirms No Miss Botswana pageant this year

The announcement by Botswana Council of women (BCW) that there will be no Miss Botswana pageant this year and the reigning queen Rosemary Keofitlhetse will get a second bite of the cherry at the Miss world title has not sat well with the first princess Betty Seatlholo.

 
“BCW has not informed us that there will not be a pageant this year, in fact there has not been any communication that Rosemary will remain queen and up to now, we have still not received our prices from last year. What upsets me the most though, is that, it doesn’t make sense that last year’s queen remains on the throne when her princesses are able,” Seatlholo said.

 
She said she was unhappy as she made sacrifices for Miss Botswana, “BCW made me quit my job in Durban because they had said that I needed to be closer to home so  that I am readily available to take over should anything happen to the Queen. I have just realized that going with their advice was a bad mistake. I have gained nothing from this pageant; instead I have wasted a whole year with things that do not make sense. If anyone should take the crown it is the second princess as she is still young and able. I can no longer take part,”  she said.

 
Miss Botswana license holders BCW recently confirmed that there will not be a Miss Botswana this year. In a press statement issued by the council, they revealed that last year’s queen Rosemary Keofitlhetse will continue as the reigning queen until a new queen is crowned in 2015 something which is unusual as it was BCW which made first princess from 2011 Tapiwa Preston Queen in 2012 instead of the already reigning 2011 queen.  “Botswana Council of Women wishes to inform all its stakeholders and the general public that as a result of circumstances beyond its control, Miss Botswana pageant has been put on hold and the next pageant will be held in 2015,” reads the statement from the Miss Botswana Management.

 
Citing reasons for the failure to state the pageant, the management said, “It must be recalled that for the past two years, BCW has had run-ins with the events management companies tasked with the running of the competition, who could not honor their obligation to give prizes to the winners as agreed in the contract signed. The 2013 pageant had to be settled by a court of law.” Time Out was informed that the management and Sweet Baint which organised the pageant were not on good terms as the reigning Miss Botswana and her two princesses have not yet received their prizes and BCW has since approached the courts for redress.

 
“In view of the above developments, Botswana Council of Women has taken a deliberate decision to put on hold this year’s competition to fully deal with controversies emanating from the past pageants. Miss Botswana pageant will return in 2015 as a bigger and better product commensurate with the status it deserves. Any inconvenience caused by this is highly regretted,” the statement read.
Rosemary, the reigning queen could not be reached for comment nor could the second princess