China registered a dramatic increase in its tourist arrivals after having hosted, for the past three years, the world?s biggest and most loved event, with a live viewing of approximately two billion people from about 200 countries. This increase in tourism rate is credited to the Miss World pageant, the longest running and arguably most prestigious global beauty contest on earth.

Today India has a face, worldwide, thanks to the Miss World pageantry. Mention India and people will say the name that brought fame to the country. India won both the Miss World and Miss Universe crowns in 1994, a feat that was achieved a second time by the country in 2000.

Venezuela, the Latino country which along with India won the Miss World contest a record number of five times is also best known because of the beauty queens it has produced. Whatever controversies the beauty pageants have caused and will continue to provoke, there is no denying the benefits that world exposure through the beauty contests brings to a country.

So what does Mauritius, which fancies itself as a prospective successful world player, do ? Besides offering a job to the bearer of the title of Miss Mauritius at the MTPA ? a body that is responsible for the promotion of Mauritius as a holiday destination, we leave the organization of the pageant competition to a single person with limited resources and a proven inability to attract the right candidates and to train them up to standard. Then the amateurish representatives of the paradise island are parachuted among some of the best ?products? of more than 100 countries to be eaten alive by the lions ? lionesses in that case. After having paid a franchise fee that some countries still refuse to pay arguing that it is too expensive.

Do you know how Mauritius fared in the latest Miss Universe contest that was held in Los Angeles a few days ago? The day before the grand finale, betting companies were taking bets and ? I?m quoting from an article that appeared on the Australian site news.com.au ? ?Miss Zambia, Miss Mauritius and Miss Turks and Caicos are rated as the least likely to win with odds of 320\1?. Well then.

I know. I also didn?t know what to say when I learnt this most distressing fact. I thought ?poor Miss Mauritius.? And thought what a great job of promoting Mauritius the MTPA must be doing. OK, let?s lose the ironic tone and not get personal. After all, it is not entirely Isabelle Antoo?s fault that she was fed to the lions. I know the organizers of Miss Mauritius and countless other readers will jump and accuse me of being unreasonably mean and unpatriotic and what not. They would probably say that it took guts and courage for the young woman to go through the contest and that this should be encouraged.

Nonsense. Enough of this acceptance of mediocrity, enough of amateurism. Why can?t Mauritius aspire to bring home one day the Miss World crown or the Miss Universe crown? Why the hell not? There are enough intelligent and beautiful girls in this country with enough charisma to make a good impression on Prince Phillip himself (ok maybe that?s a long shot), and enough qualities to fill the criteria of ?beauty with a purpose?. So why aren?t they coming forward? Why can?t we train them? Doesn?t the country need them? Do we not need a face of Mauritius to present to the world?

So when are we really going to get in the race? Not to waste any more time and money and make a fool of ourselves but to really make good use of an opportunity to put the country forward and make Mauritius a household name, even if it is for a short period?

Beauty with a purpose. A patriotic purpose. Why not?