Prime Minister Thompson couldn't resist naming Rihanna "Ambassador for Culture and Youth"
Should Bajan Girls Adopt The Rihanna Pasties Fashion?
What would David Thompson – the man, father – advise a 21 year-old daughter who showed up in public dressed with exposed breasts and pasties as Rihanna did on July 4th to celebrate American Independence Day? Would he say he was proud of her? Would he say “Whatever you do, I support you” ?
Or would he take her aside and tell her that she had gone off the path? No father who cared for a daughter could do anything else.
When Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson named pop-star and sex symbol Rihanna as our “Ambassador for Culture and Youth”, we had our doubts about the wisdom of this political move – for a political move is exactly what it was. Thompson and his DLP advisors just couldn’t help themselves: they saw an opportunity to leverage their political profile by tying themselves to an icon of the day. Not for a moment, not for an awards ceremony: but with an open-ended ambassadorship for Barbados.
Thompson and the DLP could have recognized Rihanna and her work to date in some more appropriate and less-permanent manner – but no… they wanted to forge an ongoing union with an international superstar. So… they made Rihanna “Barbados Ambassador for Culture and Youth”, complete with a diplomatic passport and the worldwide message that Rihanna was a fine example for young people.
Don’t get me wrong here, folks: Rihanna is an adult. She can wear whatever she wants to wear. She can show titty and tattoo guns all over her body…. That’s her business.
But when she is our “Ambassador for Culture and Youth” and shows up dressed in a way that no father could say he was proud of, then it is the business of the people of Barbados.
Mr. Prime Minister: you got us into this. You gave (probably forced upon) Rihanna a title and position that means something to Barbados – or should mean something to Barbados.
Do you still think that Rihanna’s behaviour is worthy of her position?
But what about Jdid?
A few days ago our friend Jdid of Doan Mind Me blog in Toronto Canada published a little article mentioning Janet Jackson’s nipplegate. I wonder what he will have to say about Rihanna’s new fashion statement? Jdid old friend… over to you!
Barbados Free Press 
“Do you still think that Rihanna’s behaviour is worthy of her position?”
Sadly, but firmly, “NO”.
To Cliverton, (HAD TO BE CLIVERTON)
You are full of mischief tonight. I love your artwork!
Absolutely brilliant BFP. Your numbers will soar to new heights….
buh doan touch Rhi Rhi…. leh she lone.
Dear BFP:
“Don’t get me wrong here, folks: Rihanna is an adult. She can wear whatever she wants to wear”
This is the only sentence in your diatribe that makes any sense.
You ask at least twice in your article if a father would be proud of the way Rihanna dressed.
Why should Rihanna ask any daddy’s permission to dress as she feels like?
Do other people’s daddies ask Rihanna’s permission before they step out of the door?
When my grandaddy was Rihanna’s age he was cutting cane in Cuba and not asking daddy or mummy permission’s for anything.
When my great uncle was Rihanna’s age he was digging the Panama Canal and not asking his daddy nor mummy permission for anything.
If your granddad or great granddad had any balls he was fighting World War 2 far, far away from home when he was Rihanna’s age and not asking daddy or mummy permission for anything
This business of attempting to infantalize a hard working adult woman who does not even live in Barbados is just plain silly.
Now I ask you how old do you think that Rihanna has to be before she can stop being a daddy’s girl or asking BFP’s permission as to which outfit to wear?
Would 55 be old enough for you? 95? 105?
If your daughter dressed this way Jdid, what would you say to her?
Just curious
“IF”
Thats J, not Jdid, you idiot.
It is all about the numbers for BFP Hants. Not that I blame them. The more people read them from around the globe, the more likely the government is to start behaving with integrity.
Sir COW Williams is a good example. Thousands (tens, hundreds of thousands?) of people saw the BBC program and went to the web for more info. The first hit on the list is BFP and the articles tell of the Williams family blocking public beaches and using trickery to obtain tracts of land.
Millions of people are interested in Rihanna and many thousands will also read about other important stories on BFP once they arrive looking for Rihanna
Rhianna will never be a role model for any of my grand children. What is our society coming to? How can we promote an air head who left school in third form while repeating two times along the way? This was a serious miscalculation on the part of the Thompson administration. BTW was she appointed ambassador for life or for a finite time period?
David Thompson will now be able to have a chance at reelection with this new makeover.
No substantive changes in policy but oh so very sexy!!!
He’ll have to do something to take everyone’s mind off his broken integrity legislation promises and a gender-change operation would possibly do that! Possibly.
If a woman has her puppies out like that it means it’s ok to look and stare without feeling guilty.. maybe she’s in heat.
You think Thompson care how his daughters dress? You en see how dem does go to all de nasty wukup fetes and do dixie? But why de MOTHER does allow dem to behave like that, She aint got no standards either? Thompson only care about young people, you ent see how he pelt way all de older people in de dlp and dont pay dem no mind? Evertything for young people nowadays, dem could do no wrong. He making a big mistake though and de chickens would come home to roost. Rihanna got some lovely tits and she could do what she like wid she body, but NOT as a ambasador to Barbados.
I dont think(if I do think) She went to Sunday School
Love the hair Clive.
OH COME ON PEOPLE!!
Ya’ll didn’t watch TV yesterday???
De whole world big up Michael Jackson in a serious way .. An dis is a man that was accused of far more serious tings den poor ol Rihanna could even tink bout.
So, she dresses a little risqué .. It’s what her career calls for. She aint nuh country singer, she is a pop and r&b superstar and jus like Madonna, Britney et al, she got to play de part.
It might look bad to us but believe me she really aint raise nuh eyebrows up dere …
As far as de “Ambassador for Culture and Youth” title, well do you think a person more reflective of our youth and culture like Contone or Stabby would be a better choice ??????
Hard Driver
July 8, 2009 at 12:30 pm
As far as de “Ambassador for Culture and Youth” title, well do you think a person more reflective of our youth and culture like Contone or Stabby would be a better choice ??????
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We once nearly had Edwin as the role model for the youth.
Remember Mia!!
Is Gabby still an ambassador or whatever they made him?
Performers and politicians like attention but performers get more than politicians.
Also, a performer’s popularity is not limited to a five year period but can persist for decades.
Politicians want what the performers naturally have.
They link in any way they can to those performers.
They want to be seen with them.
Remember Owen and Rihanna, …. although at the time it was difficult to determine from the photographs whether he only wanted to be seen with her … or just to see.
Rhianna is our Bajan STAR…..she shines FAR !
Being made a youth Ambassador was a positive move by the DLP government !
It is not the content of the clothes you wear…but the content of the good deeds you do !
Please recognise Rhi Rhi ” I believe foundation ”
You go….Girl !!
@J – why not read before you type? BFP did not suggest Rhianna should ask her father’s permission, BFP said that her father could give her his advice! Big difference. She is an adult and capable of making her own mistakes, ask Chris Brown about that.
She is no longer a role model for our youth but how does the PM get his foot out of his mouth again? We have to be saddled with her for the future, good bad or indifferent.
you doan realise they got more young people than old people? Who got more votes? The yutes, tek dat!
I believe you are a little too sensitive there. Rihanna is a great promotor of Barbados and people around the world love her.
Our European youth wear same risque outfit at nightclubs, they are topless at the beaches, yet they grow up totally normal. Later they still get great education, have kids and nice family life.
It’s not about what you wear it’s about what kind of person you are. Clothes don’t tell us if someone is hardworking, good at heart etc.
Rhianna being made the Youth Ambassador was a questionable choice but that is what happens when leaders and people wishing reward a celebrity gets caught up in the media hype.
What has she done recently? Lately, all I see is the different men she linked to, law enforcement types looking at her and no show at various events.
Rhianna you are not an American. Do not become like the young American female celebrities. You are liable to find yourself locked out with no way back in. You are not a superstar yet. Bad and irresponsible behaviour is not something that want to be known for.
You are talented. You are a singer, an entertainer. Perfect your craft and rise to the top. Be known and remembered for your abilities and not the foolishness you seem to be doing lately.
If my daughter was older than 21, lived thousands of miles away from me and was working for her own money I would not tell her a thing.
And I’ll repeat:
This business of attempting to infantalize a hard working adult woman who does not even live in Barbados is just plain silly.
poor rhi rhi. I will have to get my thoughts together on her but I will say now we never had this type of embarrassment when Gabberts was cultural ambassador.
Funny. I expected Jdid to support Rihanna unconditionally. This must be worse than I thought. I was concentrating on the humour of the photo of Thompson and not the issue of Rihanna being a culture/youth ambassador for Barbados.
The photos of her boobs in the nightclub aren’t what worries me. She looks a wasted in some photos. I know it is a club, but it doesn’t look good.
Rihanna lost my support as youth ambassador when she tattooed guns on her body.
dude not sure why you’d think I’ support her unconditionally unless you have me mistaken with somebody else.
King Dyall:
Are you telling us that Rihanna only has the equivalent of a grade 8 education? Say it aint so.
If that is the case, then it explains quite a lot of her ramblings.
Poor child. She should spend some of her money on tutors. Education will last a life time when the youth and fame fades.
True!
Gabby never show he bubbies in public…
The one thing Barbados has in abundance is sanctimonius hypocrites.
MIA tell wanna to learn to “tek a horn” and she is wanna future Prime Minister even though I hope it isn’t until 2015.
Doan touch Rhi Rhi, lef she lone.
Another Bajan,Livvi Franc, on the charts with a song called “Now I’m That “female canine”.
Bajans making it.
I think when she made the album ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’ it should have been simply “The Girl Gone Mad”. Sad, Sad.
Usually, when it reaches such stretching for attention without caring, its because the artist really no longer cares. Why? Usually drugs.
One would think she would make a better come back after Chris Brown, than to act so crazy, gun tattoos and barbed wire. Well, I would not dare tell her how to dress, but I know for sure, I’ve educated my children to value themselves more than what she represents, and therefore, like many other youth, they’ve stopped buying her music. Its the old drooling men that are doing that now. The one’s who put earrings in their old grizzly hanging ears, use Viagra and try to recapture their youth through an exploited VERY exploited and misguided girl.
The girl needs to work on her vocals to remain relevant, instead, she’s trying for shock value. After the shock ( or not) still hiding behind robotized computerized mixers, with the new technology even Paris Hilton has made albums. Rhianna, if you can sing, why dont you.? I guess the next shocker is going to be ‘ I’m gay’. How many want to bet? OOPs, I trumped the plan.
@ Darian…. Rhi isn’t a superstar yet??? Rhi sold more records than Beyonce in 2008… Me thinks she’s a supadupastar… And trust me in N.A. and Europe, we’re not noticing the pasties… C’est la vie! Don’t hate on her prerogative, nobody is like “OMG look at the Bajans”
co-sign to hants: lef she lone
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