Dominican Republic nixes Miss Universe pageant

SANTO DOMINGO.- The Dominican Government on Wednesday announced it will not host the Miss Universe 2012 pageant because it doesn’t have funds, in the heels of its austerity program and on the verge of a possible tax pact which will imply a cautious management of taxpayers money.

Presidency Administrative ministe José Ramón Peralta made the announcement in response to a proposal by event organizers on Friday.

The official said a commission of the event’s organizers led by its Vice president Andrea Berner visited the National Palace, to request an unspecified financial support of several million dollars to stage the contest.

"We have studied the proposal and finally, as we expressed during the visit by event organizers on Friday, the government isno’t able to assume a commitment, not because the competition isn’t important, it is, but now we’re in an austerity process and on the verge of a fiscal pact which prevents us from making financial commitments," Peralta told reporters in the National Palace.

"If the organizers want to stage the pageant in the Dominican Republic with private sector investment and their investment, welcome this event," he said of the contest slated for December.