The Royal Gazette learned last night that organiser of the Miss Bermuda Pageant Zeth Landy and Miss Universe Pageant officials reached a "mutual decision'' not to send a local representative to the May 11 competition.

And Mr. Landy revealed that the affiliation between the local pageant and the Miss Universe Pageant had been "broken''.

But he insisted that the Miss Bermuda Pageant will continue -- for the time being.

Mr. Landy said Bermuda was not ready to take part in any international competitions.

He cited a lack of sponsorship by local business and readiness by the "ladies'' as some of the reasons Bermuda was not ready for global pageants.

"Pageants are a business,'' he added. "And there is a lot of politics involved. Bermuda is not ready for the politics.'' Mr. Landy said that some countries offer $35,000 to their contestants to help them prepare for the various international competitions.

"I'm not going to send the girls out to the wolves,'' he added.

But he said he was looking into sending current Miss Bermuda Joanne Darrell to compete in some Caribbean pageants.

Last night Miss Darrell, who is currently abroad studying at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, said she was extremely disappointed at the news.

"I just found out today,'' she said. "I'm very upset.'' Since winning her title last year, Miss Darrell said she had been helping the Bermuda Department of Tourism's Canadian office and is due to make six personal appearances with a Canadian clothing company.

Joanne Darrell