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Miss Bahamas Universe Kiara Sherman is promoting her country with the Miss Universe organizers film crew and will be noticeably absent from many of the sight seeing events on the islands, according to Gaynell Rolle, local franchise holder for Miss Bahamas Universe. While many of the world's most beautiful women are in the country competing for the title of Miss Universe, some residents have been asking, where is the local representative Kiara Sherman?

Sherman's behalf yesterday after Bahamians expressed concern about not seeing their beauty queen at ArdastraGardens on Wednesday, or at a dinner reception at Sandals that night. She explained that the contestants were split into various groups. While a group of contestants visited ArdastraGardens, Rolle said Kiara was in a group with 19 ladies who were selected by The Miss Universe Organization for special footage filmed on ParadiseIsland, which will be aired on the night of the pageant.

"Kiara is the host queen, so a lot of special footage and stuff they are doing with the Miss Universe Organization she is going to be one of those persons who is featured in a number of that stuff," she told The Nassau Guardian during a telephone interview.

Bahamas. Her primary function is to help with the promotion of The Bahamas, so when they are shooting the promotional footage, Kiara needs to be there," Rolle said. Even though Kiara must play hostess to the contestants, Rolle said Kiara's time is also split between working with the Miss Universe film crew and attending scheduled events. Rolle said the beauty queen attended all events on Thursday with the other contestants, one of which was a tea party at Government House.

Bahamas at various events, said Rolle. "She [Kiara] is being fully utilized. That's why the Ministry of Tourism spent such a great amount of time in training her for that role [because] she has to be the official spokesperson for The Bahamas."

She invited residents to support Kiara during a motorcade on August 10 and the Junkanoo Rush-out on August 12 on the

Rolle said she is proud of Kiara's progress and feels that she is ready for the pageant, slated for August 23. "She [Kiara] has committed her whole being to ensuring that we progress and the we promote The Bahamas as best as we could." With that in mind, Rolle said Kiara's schedule is a bit more grueling than the other contestants. However, she said the revenue the country will gain from hosting the pageant is a definite benefit.

When asked about the reception which about 50 of the contestants attended at the Sandals Resort on Wednesday night, Rolle said that was not the official welcome dinner. "She is not going to be to every function with the majority of the girls who are sightseeing The

"But any special functions... that are going to air worldwide - that footage - Kiara will be included in most of that footage. So when they are shooting that, they are going to pull her aside for that purpose," she explained.