Last year we did not send a candidate to the Miss Universe pageant.

The ardent queen watchers were disturbed by this fact. After all, we had already captured the title twice.

Some asked what’s up with the Government? Why are they not funding a delegate?

Franchise holder Peter Elias, who was at the helm when Wendy Fitzwilliam walked away with the title of Miss Universe opted out. He indicated that he was totally fed up of (cap in hand) begging for money to send a delegate. For a while it seemed to be a stalemate. This year however, we are back in the game with a new team of franchise holders. It is their hope that the candidate chosen next Sunday will be the right one to bring glory and recognition to Trinidad and Tobago and reclaim our throne on the international beauty stage.

We are accustomed to controversy when it comes to race and politics, but controversy when it comes to race and make-up? That’s certainly a new one for me.

When journalist Renee Cummings, sat down with Black Opal Cosmetics executive Evelyn Manson-Miller to discuss women and make-up she discovered that when it comes to make-up, race, the interpretation of race plays a monumental part in the make-up choices of many women.

That controversy aside, we take a look at the subject of hymenoplasty a topic which has been receiving a great deal of notice in recent times. Women refer to it as ’virginity the second time around.’

Check out Pages 12 and 13..

We have been receiving lots of letters on the stories we have been carrying lately.

There were opinions expressed on Letters to Ailan, From Lesbianism to Grace, which was a highly debated topic, to the exclusive with Mildred Muhammad... The Sniper’s Wife.

The Real Nanny Diaries last week elicited a response from a New York woman who pointed out that she did not agree with my ’rotten apple’ comment in reference to the The Big Apple. She explained that she worked as a Nanny when she first arrived in New York City but was now extremely successful.

We will not only carry her letter next week but we have gone a step further in inviting her to tell her story in the EXPRESS WOMAN.

We urge our readers to keep choosing the EXPRESS WOMAN.

Please send all comments to amartinh@trinidadexpress.com