Miss Guyana, franchise holder at odds over contract --Yoogeandra alleges death threats By Samantha Alleyne Stabroek News June 22, 1999 Conflict has again erupted in the Miss Guyana/Universe camp with franchise holder, Sri Yoogeandra, alleging that he has received two death threats from reigning Miss Guyana/Universe, Morvinia Sobers. Sobers has refuted his claims. In a telephone interview with Stabroek News, Yoogeandra claimed that Sobers threatened to kill him on June 7, and again on June 11. He said that he reported these threats to the Kitty Police Station and that yesterday morning while two police officers were at his home investigating the matter, he received a telephone call from someone who told him: "Haul off of Morvinia Sobers, or I will kill you." However, speaking at a press conference yesterday afternoon, Sobers said that she never threatened Yoogeandra. The Miss Guyana title holder said she only learnt about his allegations when her neighbour told her that she had received a telephone call from the Kitty Police Station informing her that a report was made at the station against her. She said that the police had asked her neighbour for her to report to the station and since she was required by law to do so she reported to the station yesterday morning. Sobers said that when she got there the police telephoned Yoogeandra and invited him to the station and he reportedly said that he would have been there in half an hour. She said that they waited for over an hour and Yoogeandra did not report and she was then asked to give a statement, which she did and left. According to her, the police did not ask her to return to the station, nor did they say whether they would contact her. As Sobers left the Kitty Police Station yesterday there was a small crowd in front of the station cheering her on. Meanwhile, Yoogeandra said that he never received any call from the police station and disclosed that he gave a statement to police around midday yesterday. According to Yoogeandra, on June 7, Sobers telephoned him and he was arranging a meeting between himself and her when she told him that she wanted to bring her lawyer or a member of her family along. He said he told her that he had no problem with that. He said that she then threatened to kill him because of some remarks he had made about her on a television programme. But Sobers said that when she and Yoogeandra discussed the meeting on the telephone he told her that he did not want her to take anyone. She said that he also did not want the meeting to be held anywhere else but at his home, which he described as the office of the Miss Guyana/Universe organisation. Sobers said she insisted she on taking someone with her and Yoogeandra fixed the meeting for 4:30 pm the next day. However, the reigning Miss Guyana/Universe said, when she turned up at Yoogeandra's house with her father and a third party, she was told by Yoogeandra's sister that there would be no meeting and that Yoogeandra said she should speak to her lawyer. Another issue in question is Sobers securing a position as a flight attendant with Guyana Airways 2000. Sobers said that she has been training for the job. She claimed that Yoogeandra felt he should be entitled to a percentage of her salary, should she obtain the post. Yoogeandra, however, refuted this, stating that he did not want any percentage of Sobers's earnings and the only problem he had was with the kind of job she wants to have. He stated that as Miss Guyana/Universe, Sobers should remain in Guyana at all times, unless she was travelling on official Miss Guyana/Universe business. Yoogeandra also told this newspaper that he is planning a countrywide tour with all the delegates of the pageant, as well 12 shows, which will require Sobers's appearance. Sobers, however, stated that the contract she signed with Yoogeandra did not restrict her from travelling. Controversy has also arisen over the prize that is to be given to Sobers for winning the title. Sobers's lawyer, Basil Williams, said that the contract states that Sobers is entitled to a four-year scholarship at the University of Guyana (UG) or its equivalent in cash, which amounts to around $300,000. Yoogeandra has said that Sobers cannot take up the scholarship because her qualifications do not meet UG's entry requirements. But Sobers refuted this, stating that she approached Yoogeandra earlier informing him that she wanted to take up the scholarship in September. She said that he told her that no one had come forward to sponsor the scholarship as yet. She said that since winning the title she has only received $10,000 from Yoogeandra. Sobers told reporters that Yoogeandra has been verbally abusive to her on the telephone on many occasions and that as a young woman and the reigning Miss Guyana/Universe she was not prepared to put up with it any longer and would desist from having conversations with him. Williams said that he called Yoogeandra to arrange a meeting between himself and Sobers and Yoogeandra and his lawyer, but Yoogeandra declined stating that his lawyer was out of the country. Williams said that he has since learnt that Yoogeandra's lawyer has returned and he would make contact with him again to set up a meeting. A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples