Mas man Harold Saldenah and Gene-Miles

Kiss curls adorning her florid features, shapely model Gene Miles puffed her cigarette and delivered her comment.

She spoke frankly and freely about the private lives of public men, of their martial and extra martial activities, of their morals and manners, and she had a lot to say.

Long after the lively television panel on “TIME TO TALK” (Thursdays) had finished scrapping over “Should public men have private lives?” thousands of viewers all over the country were still talking about her straight-from-the-shoulder remarks.

Who is Gene Miles?
What does she do?
What makes her tick?
At 26, voluptuous Gene Theresa Euphemia Miles (she has discarded the middle names) is still an enigma to many. In spite of her sensational (38-23 ½ – 38) figure, her statuesque height (68 inches), and her easy-going disposition, she has never really has a steady boyfriend nor has her name ever been linked seriously with any man, which is quite usual for a modern glamour girl.
Probably one of the few girls who can really be regarded as a sex symbol of this country. Whenever Gene walks her hourglass figure down any street the men cannot help but whistle. The popular image of Gene Miles is that she is dumb and harum-scarum.
Far from it! Gene can discuss the state of the nation and art as intelligently as sex and birth control, and because of this, has suddenly found herself in the role of rebel in this community.
Actually, she doesn’t mind too much that people are startled by some of her views because she admits that she does like the limelight. “I like it and I’m not a hypocrite. I will say so,’ declared gravel-voiced Gene.

Gene got caught up in modeling shortly after leaving St. Joseph’s Convent where she had a brilliant career winning a House Scholarship and the next year coming third in the Island’s Scholarship (HC) resulting in exemption from Inter B.A. Trapped by the glamour and bright lights, Gene shelved her books “for a while.”
Gene’s whole make-up is open, frank and straight-forward and she makes no bones about it. She hates hypocrites, snobbery and deceit, and likes to speak out her mind. “Everything I had faith and confidence in is going the wrong way. I am not a rebel for sake of being a rebel; I am an individualist but always subject to correction. I am a harsh but constructive critic, even of myself and I have the ability to laugh at myself.”

This is probably why she openly admits she was booted out of her job as First Clerk to the Cabinet. Why she will never say, except to smile teasingly in the spitting image of Sophia Loren, dimpled chin and all.
Somewhere along the line Gene Miles acquired an insatiable yen for politics which she following closely, taking as active a part as her Civil Service job – Senior Clerk in the Ministry of Labour – will allow her.
Undoubtedly a dress horse, Gene spends the greater part of her salary on new outfits which she buys by the trunkful. There is scarcely any place in her room to stick a pin – because of clothes. She has spent as much as $480 on one dress and worn it only once.
She feels a woman should be well-groomed at all times. “People think intellectuals should look dowdy, but why not glamourous.”
However Gene never believes in keeping up with the Joneses. “When a woman gets married she would accept the full responsibility of marriage and live up to it even if it means cutting down her tastes.”

A devout Catholic (she admired the late Pope John). Gene thinks religion is vital to a child’s education, nevertheless, she believes in reincarnation and in the existence of the spirit world.
She thinks there is a certain something, probably destiny, which guides a man’s life and over which he has no control. And like most women, Gene is afraid of the dark.
What kind of man does Gene Miles admire?

He must not mind people’s business, a favourite Trinidad pastime. He must definitely not be hen-pecked, in fact he must be dominating not domineering. Intelligent yes, but not a smart alec; generous but not extravagant, forceful without being cruel, and he must be tall and a Trinidadian, “no one else can understand me.” More important than all physical or monetary considerations would be his character.
And what part does sex play in all this?
Gene agrees sex is important, but not the be-all and end-all of marriage life. Compatibility is much more important and the woman must adore her man. The man must wear the pants.
Gene would like to marry in about three years time and wants to have about six children. (She prefers boys.)
The Miles girl is opposed to sex outside of marriage but she thinks this is a matter strictly for the woman and man involved and concerns no one else.
While television is not his first stint before the cameras (she starred in ‘Land of Laughter’) Gene is not really keen to be a star, and in 1961 turned down the starring role in a French Film “Tarzana of the Amazon” wearing leopard skin panties.

Full of the zest of life and living, Gene in true Trinidad style likes feting and Carnival. “I love drums”? she confides with a wiggle “Drums send me.” And when Gene wiggles, brother, she sends me.