Nadia Rodgers-Albury plans to take immediate action against Miss Bahamas Universe franchise-holders if they do not present her with with the $20,000 cash prize she claims she won in last year’s pageant and address her outstanding grievances.
Ms. Rodgers-Albury was crowned queen on March 10, 2002. Since then she said she has put her life on hold to fulfill her obligations as queen but pageant organisers have not come through with all of their commitments to her.
She also sent franchise holders Theophilus Fritz and his daughter Gaynell Rolle, letters stating that she felt “used.”
“We had a contract agreement.” Ms. Rodgers-Albury told The Tribune yesterday. “I had to give up my daily life, my job and my eductaion when I became queen to make sure I made all the commitments listed in my contract. I don’t think it’s fair.”
She added that she was very disappointed by the manner in which they were dealing with the contract.
Said Ms. Rodgers-Albury, “As the first reigning queen for the Miss Bahamas Universe organisation, I have spent the past year fulfilling my duties, which include travelling, paying courtesy calls, promoting our country and not only competing but making the top 10 at Ms Universe with reference to online sources Reuters and Yahoo. Thus, not only leaving and indelible mark but also raising the standard for future queens to compete at.”
Ms. Rodgers-Albury said she was supposed to have concluded her on-year reign on Sunday and was not pleased to have been told that she would instead end her tenure two weeks later.
“The organisation saw fit to selfishly extend my reign, without consulting me, to March 23, 2003, preventing me from furthering my career and education,” she said.
According to Ms. Rodgers-Albury this contadicted the mission statement set by the pageant. She said she had to “dig deep” into her own pockets and that of the national pageant director, Doug Gardiner, to finance some of her travel expenses.
When the Tribune contacted Ms Rolle yesterday she said she and her father were not commenting on the matter. “Our attorney Ian Cargill will be speaking on our behalf in this matter,” shae said.
The Tribune made several attempts to reach Mr. Cargill through contacts given by Ms. Rolle.
He did not return the calls.
Source: Article By Arthia Nixon, The Tribune
