Naesol refutes Samoan Judge Brunt’s claim that she was present at MPIP 2025 recount, reveals there was “no transparency, and no proper oversight over the recount process”
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
THE Head Auditor of the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) 2025, Ms Pamela Naesol has dismissed claims by judge Jerry Brunt that she was present during the controversial recount following the crowning night in Honiara.
Speaking recently on TV1 Samoa, Brunt alleged that the head scrutineer was among Miss Pacific Islands Board members who verified country scores during the recount.
He said those present included representatives from American Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and one other board member.
Brunt made the comments after the issue resurfaced in Solomon Star following confirmation that Solomon Islands will not participate in the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2026 to be hosted by Fiji in Nadi from 13–20 in February due to the controversial outcome of the 2025 pageant hosted by Solomon Islands.
However, Naesol strongly denied the allegation, saying she was not present, informed or invited to the recount meeting.
“I am interested to know where Jerry got his information from as I was definitely not present in that meeting. I was never informed, nor invited to this meeting despite it is required in the pageant regulations that the auditor and scrutineer be present in this recount meeting to be held after the crowning night,” Naesol said. “I only knew about the meeting on Monday afternoon after the meeting was finished, when the Board Director from Solomon Islands called me to inform me that our scores were wrong.”
Naesol expressed disappointment at the way the recount was done without their presence.
She said the absence of natural justice in this process demonstrated the lack of accountability and transparency within such a critical process to validate the results.
Naesol said her presence was necessary to explain the score tallying formulae / methods used and reconciliation process to ensure that the recount scores and their tally scores are properly reconciled.
“There was no transparency, and no proper oversight over the recount process, therefore raising questions about the credibility and validity of the recount results. Our absence in that meeting is a direct breach of the pageant’s own regulations and the governing body that is expected to uphold the regulations to ensure the integrity of the pageant is the Board. Failure to comply with regulations raises a lot of questions about the credibility and integrity of the Board and the whole MPIP event,” she said.
Naesol said she had reviewed the MPIP regulations and constitution, which clearly outline the process for score ties and recounts.
“The rules are clear and strict adherence to these rules ensures that the overall process leading to the final results is objective, transparent and has integrity from beginning to end. Therefore, whoever wins through this process does so in an honest, objective and transparent manner. This is why we have rules in the first place – to protect the integrity of the whole process. One of those rules states that during the recount, the auditor and scrutineer must be present,” she added.
The official scrutineer for the pageant was Clifton Mark, Chief Financial Officer of the Solomon Islands Ports Authority.
Meanwhile, Brunt has indicated plans to take legal action against the Solomon Islands Government, claiming his reputation has been tarnished.
He described Solomon Islands’ withdrawal from MPIP 2026 as surprising.
“I thought they had moved on, but I guess not,” he said.
“I see the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs for Solomon Islands is still very much involved, and it puzzles me to comprehend why.”
Brunt added that he believed he had already explained his role and addressed what he described as misinformation surrounding the 2025 pageant.
Following the crowning of Miss Pacific Islands 2025, Litara Ieremia-Alan, allegations of judging fraud emerged, including claims of vote discrepancies favouring Miss Tonga 2025, Racheal Guttenbeil. These allegations prompted a police investigation into alleged fraudulent activities by pageant judges.
At that time, Minister for Home Affairs Isikeli Vave Jr raised concerns about possible vote tampering and issued a stop notice, preventing judges from leaving Honiara while statements were taken.
Brunt has consistently denied any wrongdoing, telling local media there was no tampering of results.
He also rejected social media claims that he tore up the original results sheet and handed a different paper to the Masters of Ceremonies.
“I can honestly tell you that I don’t even know where that allegation came from,” Brunt said.
Brunt said all judges’ scoresheets were collected and handed to Ms Naesol, who, together with her assistant, tallied and retained the official results.
“I hold the integrity of the entire Pacific Islands pageant in high regard, and I feel saddened by these false accusations,” he said.
Naesol, however, said that “the issue in this whole saga was not about the scoresheets, but with the voting process that the judges followed when there was a tie in the results between Samoa and Tonga.
She said allegations were made by one of the other judges against Brunt that he had switched the votes of one of the judges.
“This was the main issue,” Naesol said. These circumstances should have prompted the Board to initiate a formal investigation to establish the truth of the matter. However, the Board did nothing to clear this, and this is why the Solomon Islands Government decided to pull Solomon Islands out of the upcoming pageant in Fiji.”
“Instead, what the Board did was announce that the auditors got the scores wrong after they did their recount in our absence, and that there should have never been any voting. Had we been present in that meeting, I would have the opportunity to show them the process and excel tools we used to tally the judges scores,” she added.
As a result of the unresolved controversy, Solomon Islands did not hold a Miss Solomon Islands Pageant in 2025, meaning the country will not send a representative to MPIP 2026.
Meanwhile, in Fiji, Miss Fiji Dr Peggy Ravusiro has withdrawn her participation in the MPIP 2026 due to a contract dispute with the Miss Fiji Pageant organisers. As a result, the Miss Fiji Pageant organisers have appointed the 2025 Miss Fiji Pageant first runner-up Ailava Samuels to represent Fiji in the 2026 MPIP.
A total of six contestants confirmed their participation in the MPIP 2026, including the Miss Fiji rep.
The others are Miss Papua New Guinea, Iampela Popena, Miss Samoa, Feagaimaali’i Soti Mapu, Miss American Samoa, Tofoipupu Unutoa, Miss Tonga, Sioai’ana Patricia Taumoepeau and Miss Kiribati, Atiterentaai Rinimarawa.
