Haylani Pearl Kuruppu has pulled out of training with the national women's basketball team for the Pacific Games to focus on her Miss Global pageant preparations.

Vodafone Samoa Chief Executive Officer, Rana Bose told the Samoa Observer on Monday that the former Miss Samoa had to withdraw from the national basketball team's training sessions as her preparations for the games in Honiara, Solomon Islands clashed with her Miss Global commitments.

He said that she would be travelling to the Philippines to be trained by the best in the world in the lead-up to the Miss Global pageant in January next year

“These trainers have trained the Miss World and Miss Universe and that is the level of training we have for her,” said Mr. Bose. “Manaia event will be preparing a very important part which is a gown and they are getting it from the United States from one of the best designers of Samoa and the other part is the traditional wear.

“The pageant will be multinational where previously it was supposed to be only in Vietnam, now the pre-pageant will be in Vietnam and Indonesia and the crowning night will be in Cambodia.”

Vodafone is currently in negotiations with the Miss Global organisation for a live broadcast of the global event with Mr. Bose indicating that no agreement has been reached yet. 

Samoans within and outside the country have also been urged to vote for Samoa – by visiting the Miss Global Organisation’s Facebook and Instagram pages – and "like" and share Ms. Kuruppu's introductory video which was uploaded by the Miss Global Organisation.

Samoa is currently ranked number one for Facebook votes and second for Instagram behind Miss Global Malaysia.

Mr. Bose said the Global Pageant will start on the second week of January 2024 and run for two weeks and people should use that opportunity to vote. 

“The Pageant will start from the second of January for two weeks and we are planning a campaign so that more Samoans in the country and those living abroad can vote. 

"A lot of the scoring from this also goes into the final tally and more likes and shares you get are counted in that. We want her to create history for Samoa and we want to thank all the support we have gotten especially from the Government of Samoa."