Eighty-five representatives from countries around the world are expected to take part at the 58th edition of Miss Universe to be held in Bahamas.
82 contestants have already been selected and 3 countries have yet to select their representatives. Miss Spain 2009 will be named on July 18th, Miss Honduras on Jluy 25th and Jamaica on July 26th.
If things won't work out for Miss Namibia Happie Ntelamo, she might withdraw from the pageant.
Ntelamo has not yet found a sponsor who is willing to send her to Bahamas. Due to the ongoing economic crisis, the organizers are having hard time raising the funds to be needed.
Ntelamo herself is spearheading the campaign to raise money for the pageant, with one of the events being a gala dinner scheduled for July 25, to which companies and individuals are being asked to book tables to fund the trip.
There is also a rumour that Honduras might skip the pageant this year due to the political tensions that are taking place in this Central American country.
On the other hand, Jamaica is sending their last representative this year and the organizers have already announced that they will not be sending representatives on the next few years because of lack of sponsorships.
In another development, Northern Marianas already backed out from Miss Universe 2009 because of the crisis. Sorene Maratita was supposed to compete in Bahamas but she was advised by her organizers that she will only be competing at the Miss International 2009 pageant in Japan and China.
Sri Lanka and Trinidad and Tabago had already begged off earlier.
*****The first picture is Miss Namibia 2009 Happie Ntelamo and the second picture is Miss Northern Marianas 2009 Sorene Maratita.
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