Contestant falls ill, cuts performance short

Audience members had a scare last night when one of the contestants in the Miss Junior BVI pageant apparently fainted on stage at the Sir Rubert Briecliffe Hall.

Contestant number two, Rosa Industrious, seemingly fainted while she participated in the Question and Answer segment of the show.

The emcee, Kyza Callwood, along with backstage workers, was whipped into action to help catch and carry the contestant backstage where feverish attempts were made to assist her.

After a few minutes, medical personnel were observed heading to the backstage area with a stretcher.

BVI News Online understands that the contestant was stretchered away through the back entrance of the Road Town-based venue.

Her current condition is yet to be ascertained.

Questions about the young woman’s health were first publicly raised during the Evening Wear Segment of the competition, when the emcee announced that Industrious was not feeling well.

Throughout each segment, contestants were presented on stage in numerical order, with the females always going first. But Industrious did not flaunt her evening gown until after all other contestants – including persons who were involved in the male version of the competition.

Further questions regarding Industrious’ health came to the fore when she was called for the Question and Answer Segment. She noticeably was slow in appearing on the stage.

The contestant had just started to give an answer to a question when she apparently fainted.

Although she didn’t finish the competition, Industrious copped two awards – Best Evening Wear, and the top spot in the Black and White Affair category.