In 1989, the Coral Coast festival crowned Milinia Vasutoga, a dedicated bank officer from Sigatoka, as Miss Coral Coast. According to a report from The Fiji Times on October 7, 1989, the festival is a quadrennial event akin to the Hibiscus festival. Unfortunately, the festival did not meet its fundraising expectations, ending with a total of $15,908.49, which was significantly lower than in previous years.
Emori Tudia, the chairman of the festival’s organizing committee, expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of support from local businesses in the Coral Coast area. He emphasized the need for more backing, stating, “Sigatoka is a central hub for tourism, and with better organization and increased sponsorship, next year’s event could become the most prominent festival in the country.”
Despite the fundraising challenges, the festival maintained a vibrant atmosphere, highlighted by a float procession through Sigatoka and an enthusiastic crowd of over 800 attendees. Miss Vasutoga, who worked as a teller at the Sigatoka branch of Westpac, won a trip to Sydney from Ram Travel and Tours and expressed her excitement about her victory and her commitment to representing Fiji positively.
Sharon Chong Sue was noted as Miss Charity among the other titleholders. Miss Vasutoga shared with The Fiji Times her enthusiasm for participating in larger festivals in the future, looking to build on her success. “At the beginning of the week, I never expected to win, but by the end of the week, I had more confidence and was very calm during the judging sessions. I wanted the crown and I got it,” she remarked.
Mr. Tudia indicated that a revised strategy for organizing the festival is necessary, suggesting that drawing tourists could result in better sponsorship opportunities and a more successful event. Notably, the 1989 festival marked the first occasion where civil servants and local figures organized the event, as opposed to charity organizations.