This past week I sat again, in the same spot, only this time to chat with both Mrs Sabeeney and her daughter Suzie about things past present and future.

From the moment everyone calls 'aunty' Kim, entered the room one couldn't help but notice a huge commemorative badge with the image of Wendy Fitzwilliam emblazoned on its surface. And Sabeeney has every right to wear the badge with a sense of great pride.

The one thing which still eludes me is how this doyen of beauty pageants manages to look so smashing at age 64 (I asked her permission to mention her age). According to her, the secret was hard work.

This youthful appearance is also due in no small part to her excellent taste in clothing and the off-white pants suit she chose that day was certainly apt for the equally avant garde hairstyle she sported.

Here was I, interviewing a woman about whom much has been written, owing to the tremendous strides she has made in the International pageant arena with two Miss Universe victories (eat your heart out miss France) and one Miss World title not to mention several finalist placing at both pageants.

Kim Sabeeney is a shrewd business-woman who, over the years, has proven her ability to recognize a good investment and having secured the Miss Universe franchise in 1975, she set about procuring the Miss World license five years later.

Her rise to the top, however, has not been at all easy. Sabeeney has had to dip into her own pockets at times to ensure that a delegate gets to the international pageant. Especially difficult were the years 1980,1987, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1995, and of course, this year. In each of these years the pageant was held in the Far East which involves enormous cost to the franchise holder and prior to Arlene's success in 1995, the corporate community seemed uninterested in assisting our local winners.

Suzie recalls that after her experiences of pavement pounding and door knocking - particularly with Giselle in 1986 - she was totally disillusioned. Add to that the bickering of delegates, the general stress of production, and one isn't surprised that Suzie is - despite Wendy's victory - not inclined to continue in her role as pageant coordinator. She does not believe that the current euphoria will guarantee concrete support for delegates.

This year, Suzie stresses, the pageant will undergo a few changes. The location has been shifted to the Jean Pierre Complex and prospective delegates are expected to prepare a detailed resume with a 4´ 6 photo and send these to MK Enterprises at 7 Palm Avenue Petit Valley, instead of just showing up at a screening.

With regard to sponsorship, all that is being asked is $10,000 which promises to improve the overall quality of the production while giving sponsors extra mileage.

In the wake of Wendy's victory, this year's pageant will enjoy a wider viewing audience and certainly greater press coverage, she says.

Mrs Sabeeney also stressed that the time has come for the establishment of a formal training academy for beauty delegates. Of course I did not hesitate to remind her that the Beauti Bank intends to rise to such a challenge later this year.

Having worked with several of the past queens, I share that sense of frustration of which Suzie speaks, since many doors remain closed when we tried to secure assistance for delegates. This, it is hoped, will change as the Miss Trinidad & Tobago pageant is now a virtual symbol of our beauty and culture and should be treated as such.

Both mother and daughter did agree that the echoes of support from Tidco and Government were quite encouraging and the public can look forward to a grand homecoming fit for a queen when Wendy returns home next month.

Asked to talk about what would be a fitting tribute for her contribution over the years, Sabeeney, very humbly and with a gregarious chuckle, admitted that she was not able to respond to that question. She did add, however, that whatever the honour she would be grateful.

Suzie on the other hand, thinks her mother is worthy of the Trinity Cross, the country's highest award, and I'm sure many of us would agree.

Having worked against such odds and succeeded in placing Trinidad and Tobago in the beauty map of the world we should have it no other way and with that this columnist seconds the nomination.

When asked what she thought of the comparisons made between the Carnival Queen show held earlier this year, Suzie scoffed at the comparison adding that the Miss Trinidad and Tobago pageant prides itself on treating all delegates with a sense of equanimity and fairness while also maintaining a distinctly local flavour in the production. These elements seemed sorely lacking in the Carnival pageant.

Trinidad and Tobago pageant, it is quite clear that women of every ethnic persuasion have represented this country and this Suzie stressed will continue to be the case.

It is evident that a lot more can be done locally. When one looks at the Miss Venezuela pageant and its huge investment in beauty, it is not surprising that over a 15-year period their industry has produced so many winners. With the right corporate support the Miss Trinidad and Tobago pageant can do just as well.

Both Sabeeney and her daughter stressed that they would like to see such support from government, particularly after the crowning of the local winners, in such areas as the provision of the national gift, costume wardrobe and travel expenses for the winner and her chaperone.

Perhaps now is the time for us to effect such change in the beauty pageant sphere. Wendy's victory is one of which we all feel proud, but it was a long road to the crown and we should hope that the next young woman chosen as Miss Trinidad and Tobago will not have to go pounding pavements and knocking doors in a quest to do national duty.

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