Did 'God' deny Yendi?

Conjecture about why Yendi Phillipps didn't win what would have been Jamaica's first Miss Universe title has been swirling.

One website pointed to Phillipps' dress as the reason but Gleaner calculations suggest this was not the case.

Another suggestion was that Yendi's response to the question she was asked in the final round included a religious leaning that could have impacted her cause.

The suggestion points to the fact that the society, which controls the pageant, The United States, is open to many religions, and dislikes open leanings in one direction or another. Yendi spoke of God being the only holder of the right to give and take away life, when she answered a question about putting an end to the death penalty.

Kingsley Cooper, former franchise holder of the Miss Jamaica Universe pageant in Jamaica, thinks Yendi did everything right.

"I don't think anything went wrong. Yendi did a great job and she was awarded with a good position. We should celebrate a beauty queen that went to Miss Universe and did extremely well," he said.

Former Miss Jamaica Universe Carolyn Yapp also weighed in about what she thought of the competition.

"I seriously think all the girls were gorgeous, but, overall, I think Yendi did extremely well. It proves what preparedness can do, which is something that we have been doing wrong all these years," said Yapp.

"She took the necessary steps to attain her goal and I really commend her for that."

"Yendi's 'swag' was out of control and Miss Universe wants someone that is fierce. In all fairness she came second, but I really think that she should have won. Miss Universe is usually dominated by the Latinas, but this year shoud have been our time," said Yapp, before pointing out that Phillipps' showing should help her career immensely.

- Garfene Grandison