By Mohalenyane Phakela
MASERU — Beauty pageants promote a country’s culture and tourism but in Lesotho they remain the least of government’s priorities.
Local beauty pageants organiser Bernard Tlali revealed that the government is not doing much to support pageants.
“I fail to understand why modelling and pageants are the least priority in this country while other careers like singing and football are financially backed.
“People should stop criticising pageants for ranking women like prize horses and creating a potentially unacceptable ideal beauty whereas pageants are a living genre like any other professions”.
Tlali accused government of repeated failure to support young Basotho when they go to compete internationally.
“We do try to solicit funds from the concerned parties, but our pleas reach deaf ears. We have to raise funds ourselves so that this country can be represented. They only know how to celebrate them once they return home with crowns”, Tlali said.
The Weekender contacted the ministry of tourism and culture to find out what the problem is. Neither the minister nor her deputy and the principal secretary could be reached for comment by the time of going to print.
Tlali further explained how the pageants benefit the country.
“With the advent of television advertisements, aspects of beauty pageants have been disseminated on an international level to promote pre-established ideology of commercialism and womanhood”.
Tlali said lack of funds has a negative impact on people who love this industry, knowing their dreams will just disappear into thin air.
Through the initiatives of private companies and individuals models like Karabelo Mokoallo and Rorisang Molefe put Lesotho on the map, Tlali said.
He urged business people to support beauty pageants as they cannot rely on the government for funds.
