It has been a very busy and interesting week with a lot of hype and activities. It will culminate into its finale on Saturday night when a new Miss Samoa will be crowned.

History was created this year with the first ever contestant with speech and hearing impairment, there were seven local entries and each of the young women are prepared well with support from family and friends.

Surely enough the judges will have a very difficult task in deciding who the winner is. The young women who put their hands up to become an ambassador for this beautiful nation of ours are indeed very brave.

It can be proudly stated that these young women are not only beautiful but have come on the stage with some brilliant ideas. All of these young women are winners already.

They have been championing climate change, gender equality, inclusion of people with disabilities, the importance of the Samoan culture and language and domestic violence among other interesting topics.

These young women have presented enterprising answers to questions and have shown good leadership abilities. This is something that sets the Miss Samoa pageant aside from others in the region. The quality of the competition is the reason why Samoa has won the Miss Pacific Islands title a record seven times, more than any other nation.

During the public event on Thursday, Miss Sign Language Interpreters Association Miracle Afele made some interesting points. Speaking through an interpreter she said: “I know and understand that it is very difficult. Just because I have a disability doesn’t mean that I am not the same as everyone else, it doesn’t matter.

"There are barriers but I can break those barriers. A long time ago it used to be a problem but I am strong and I will be able to teach others to be aware. It has never been a barrier for me to communicate, I understand the difficulties communicating with a deaf person but we can’t keep staying where we are comfortable.

"We have got to make people aware and make them do the work that will provide them with the opportunity to do their own thing, even a pageant like this one.”

There are many pressing issues that are affecting Samoa and Samoans, to actually provide a solution, people need to get out of their comfort zones and stop ignoring them.

The number of children vending on the streets is quite high, there are just over 20 per cent of children in  early childhood, there is a culture of violence that needs to be called out, meth has become a real problem, and then there are matters at national policy level which need urgent attention. There is also the matter of accountability and transparency from the very echelon of the State.

Moving forward without dealing with all these issues is not actually moving forward. When dust is constantly swept under the rug, it starts lumping up and soon becomes visible, even under the rug.

The Teuila Festival ended on Friday. Samoa celebrated this festival with cultural competitions as well with choirs who sounded as if the gates of heaven were opened up and the angels were singing.

Notably the fautasi competition was missing. The fautasi is part of Samoan culture and it looks like it is on the verge of becoming extinct. The fautasi was used as the mode of transportation between Upolu and Savaii before ferries came. Even if they are used only in races, it is very much part of Samoan culture.

Perhaps, the ministry responsible for preserving culture could fund an event every six months and make entry free. We Samoans pride ourselves with our culture, let us not ignore one to death.

It has also been very exciting on the political front this week. Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa announced two new cabinet ministers and reshuffled a few posts. While the move has been welcomed even by the opposition, questions have been raised as to what the motive was behind this move.

The cabinet ministers implicated in the pleasure boat saga, the stock exchange fiasco and Chinese direct flights have remained where they were, much to everyone’s surprise. Perhaps the debate in Parliament next month will provide answers. All will unfold in due time.

This weekend is also the start of the Rugby World Cup in France and unlike yesteryears, the Pacific nations including our very own Manu Samoa have shown promise and the capability to actually have a title shot. Surely enough, this month will see many feeling sleepy at work and school as the games are early morning. The beauty of different time zones in action.

Back to our beautiful contestants. We can rest assured that the next Miss Samoa will definitely pack some punches as the competition has been very stiff and there are no clear favourites even as the curtains fall.

We wish all the best to the lovely Haylani Kuruppu who held the title for the year and wish her very best in her future endeavours. May the most deserving beauty get the right to be crowned Miss Samoa.