PNG's 18 year old Leashina Kariha crowned Miss Pacific Islands

The 18-year-old Miss Papua New Guinea is the newly crowned Miss Pacific Islands 2018-2019.

The gorgeous but elegant Leoshina Kariha won two minor awards:

• Miss Personality
• Miss Tourism

As well as two major awards:

• Best Talent
• Best Research Topic

According to the Miss PNG Pacific Islands page, Kariha is currently attending a gift sharing breakfast with all her pacific island sisters.

The committee said: “We'd like to send a massive tanikiu badaherea to all our wantoks and supporters for all your love and light that kept us going through these very challenging last few weeks.

“God bless and we'll see you when we bring the crown home to Papua New Guinea, which we are excited to announce is the next host nation for next year's Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2019.”

The Melanesian beauty has brought home the crown for the second time since the hosting of the pageant.

The first PNG contestant was crowned in 2015. Abigail Havora was a former science graduate from UPNG.

Generally, Kariha is the third Papua New Guinean to win an international or regional crown since the first Miss PNG, Eva Arni, who went on to win the "Miss Asia" title in 1975.

Press Release