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Adrian Elcock Rihanna Partnership

Submitted by Barbados First
Rihanna
Adrian Elcock, Chairman of the BTA

What is the connection between Adrian Elcock, Chairman of the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA) and Rihanna?

Does it have anything to do with her being given a 3 year contract to market Barbados the terms of which have not been made public?

Does this connection have anything to do with the big Rihanna concert here 2 years ago?

Does it have anything to do with her concert here later this year?

Is this why we cannot get financial results for the concert 2 years ago which we taxpayers paid for… Is there what the Trinidadians call “bobol” going on at the BTA with Chairman Adrian Elcock in place?

Why after all this Rihanna expenditure and promotion  is St. Lucia still receiving more visitors than Barbados for 2013 so far.

Read the news story in the Barbados Today which names Adrain Elcock as agent for Rihanna :

218 responses to “Adrian Elcock Rihanna Partnership”

  1. LOOK Avatar
    LOOK

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oVEL06UeFc&w=560&h=315]

    Rachel Crow better than Rihanna and only 15.

  2. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Look…………..damn, that kid is rocking a voice.

  3. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Damn girl……………….we know it’s a production line out there, they just spit them out, tons of talent waiting to be discovered.

  4. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Barbados exercise video. Marketing experts?

  5. Kiki Avatar
    Kiki

    Evolution

  6. Kiki Avatar
    Kiki

    Revolution

  7. LOOK Avatar
    LOOK

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5XInQ2HAlg&w=560&h=315]

    The United States love Gabby Douglas but Rachel Crow is America’s sunshine.

  8. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Look………that’s the next Tina Turner

  9. Twistorian Avatar
    Twistorian

    If I now Barbados it would not surprise me if the funeral arranger and Rihanna ‘agent’ team up to scam the girl. This is Barbados a place Barrow called a nation of thieves.

  10. ac Avatar
    ac

    David says Adrian is bout trying something new” AND WHAT COULD THAT BE. Oh let ac see . maybe put two sister islands at war. get the people involved in shouting matches and maybe the govt would miraculously find a solution to the tourist problem .

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @ac

    Which minister of the Crown in Barbados stated publicly that St.Lucia was 25 years behind Barbados? And how did his St.Lucian counterpart respond?

  12. LOOK Avatar
    LOOK

    Rihanna will not be the one to correct the tourist problem in Barbados.

  13. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    Twistorian | August 10, 2013 at 2:35 PM |

    If I now Barbados it would not surprise me if the funeral arranger and Rihanna ‘agent’ team up to scam the girl. This is Barbados a place Barrow called a nation of thieves.

    ________________________________________________

    Twistorian………….i was thinking it but did not want to voice it, just exhausted from all the little con games and scams, no one in the world buries a body for $300,000.00, you can’t make this stuff up, really negative publicity for the island, cheaper to stay alive.

  14. David Avatar
    David

    The air conditioned tent, the limousine, the security and all the requests befitting a celebrity. The point is this was no ordinary funeral. Let us wait to see how this plays out.

  15. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Rhianna shouldn’t pay one red cent until they can prove the funeral costs and compare it to their recent costs for burials. Why should she pay $300,000.00 for a burial? Sounds like it is a big rip off.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    @islandgal

    Shouldn’t Rihanna and her Agent have agreed to the cost of the funeral ‘event’ BEFORE.

  17. Warrior Avatar
    Warrior

    I maintain that our Tourism product is outdated and overpriced. It is okay to talk about Rihanna getting people here by her celebrity pull, but will they do once they come?

    When Tourist come they are faced with a few things.
    1. A few friendly natives.
    2. Overpriced and un-maintained or modernised hotels.
    3. Overpriced and restaurants, no proper Casual Dining experience at all.
    4. Unrealistic opening hours for key businesses.
    5. Lessening access to beaches.
    6. Lack of innovation as it pertains to Tourism product and offerings. (When was the last upgrade or intro of new products and services for the the Tourist who come to Barbados).
    7. Samey Samey foolishness, everybody in the industry doing the same thing the same way. No originality, no innovation, no real “BRANDING” of a Tourism niche.

    If what this article is suggesting is truth then Mr. Elcock should remove himself for a conflict of interest. The public should know where their money went from the last concert, or don’t hold another one until we get answers. I see they have vaulted that hurdle by giving the responsibility to an agent.

    if these guys were as innovative and bent on improving, upgrading and streamlining the Barbados Tourism product as they were on stooping and padooping and wheeling and dealing as to how get the most money out of anything they are involved in, then we would not have to eyeing St. Lucia all the time as it pertains to visitors, arrivals, short stay, long stay, whatever stay.

    I’m tired of these greedy people being in charge, do you mean to tell me that in the whole of this country you can’t get now upstanding, honest and patriotic Barbadians to run things. Yuh mean blasted pick fowls all the so though??!!!

  18. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    I was reading the document they planned to serve on Rihanna today in the US, i believe it was on TMZ website, the little bit i glanced at said that there was half a implied verbal agreement and half written agreement, i suppose that will have to be thrashed out in court, if she allows it go to that far.

  19. David Avatar
    David

    After all the Sahara talk – http://omg.yahoo.com/photos/rihanna-does-barbados-1375746017-slideshow/ how does it negate the conflict of issue, transparency and accountability issues of BTA Chairman Elcock & the BTA in relation to the 3 year promotional contract, terms of which have not yet been disclosed to TAXPAYERS between Rihanna and Barbados. One would imagine that this is not a matter to be discussed using partisan political eyes.

  20. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    “Shouldn’t Rihanna and her Agent have agreed to the cost of the funeral ‘event’ BEFORE.”

    I think it would have been Rhianna’s mother to arrange her mother’s funeral while Rhianna was paying for it. Why would a funeral cost that much in Barbados? Even if they did not discuss the price first that doesn’t mean that a company can raise their price like that because the client who is paying is famous.

  21. David Avatar
    David

    @islandgal

    We are not discussing an ordinary funeral here. Unless we get all the info we are frothing in the wind.

  22. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    The guy who starred in the Sopranos a bigger star than you could ever want in the world, James Gandolfino, A list celebrities, creme de la creme of hollywood were invited, had i believe over 1000 + invited guests, even when you divide or multiply it by 2, the funeral did not cost that much………how long did that funeral last in Bim one week? far as i know a funeral lasts a couple hours, but i suppose they might have something to prove the costs were justified, but still.

  23. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Well it does not make the company look good here in Barbados. They might be doing themselves a lot of damage. People might start boycotting them.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    Surely one would have to blame the AGENT if we want to blame anyone. The funeral director James Wilson would not have proceeded to arrange the funeral without approvals.

  25. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    If a proper assessment on the local expertise on Barbados tourism was to be attempted, one might first chose to glance at the arrivals projections-to-actuals of the Barbados wing of the World Cup 2007 cricket series, to have the best idea of who and what it is that you are dealing with.

  26. LOOK Avatar
    LOOK

    @ Warrior
    That island is filty. B. C. Pires calls it nasty. The center for Disease and Prevention Center, additionally says “you can get thphoid through contaminated food and water there, regardless of where you’re eating or staying. http://www.krolltravel.com/stories/Cayman-Tortuga.htm
    Barbados I think could heighten its awareness in the caribbean with just rum and not Rihanna. It could have FIRST started the Cayman Islands idea – producing and exporting rum cake.

  27. Warrior Avatar
    Warrior

    @ Look, please be kind do not speak to me of B.C. Pires.

  28. Well Well. Avatar
    Well Well.

    I thought Trini B.C Spires loved Bim, then again he is probably calling it as he sees it, don’t tell me the island is starting to degrade to that extent, i will be shocked.

  29. Bad John Avatar
    Bad John

    This little brat is useless to Barbados. Money spent on her is wasted. Marley is important to JA because he sang their music. He gave reggae the spring board to take off internationally. That is their culture and now all types of Jamaican stuff is sought after worldwide. She sings all American rubbish; thus she is an agent of cultural penetration corrupting the minds musically of our young. Lil Rick and Madd are more valuable than her. They are all Barbadianna. Their language, dance, accent, music, topics, rhythm and delivery accentuates only Barbados and the tuk band, This is our culture. Rhianna can get going. A country cannot compete by copying another culture. You will come in a distant last. Only originals stay fresh. In this cultural war once any force captures your taste you will be their enslaved market forever; thus wrecking your economy. Mr. Elcock knows nothing about the cultural industries. Give his job to Phil Phillips. of Cross Fire fame. Tourism has to be erected on pillars of local culture for benefits to accrue to the small man. Watch out for JA. that is why their tourism is soaring. Rhianna my foot, come leh we guh down to low town, but doan stan down dey. Come leh we promote we culture to we benefit. Ah gone. Elombe help! ,

  30. BAFBFP Avatar
    BAFBFP

    Bad John

    Foolishness

  31. LOOK Avatar
    LOOK

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoEuVIxEtdM&w=420&h=315]

    Money spent on Rihanna is unwarranted simply because Barbados has no money. Country is broke “all in the red”. She, Rihanna however is a celebrity and basically put Barbados on the map. Barbados before Rihanna was rather unknown but Rihanna will not be the one to boost tourism. She hasn’t yet.
    Raggae music originated via Bob Marley in Jamaica. Bad John (poster), you are right. Marley is important to Jamaica. He sang the music that originated there in Jamaica. That ragae stuff ultimately crossed the Jamacian border. Stevie Wonder’s Boggie on Raggae Woman is not ragae style music but the word raggae belongs to Bob Marley and Jamaica. A better piece of that ragae style music indeed in the ragae style is I Just Wanna Be Loved by Culture Club in the 1990’s. I like it too.

  32. JUST ASKING Avatar
    JUST ASKING

    Lil Rick and Madd are more valuable than her. They are all Barbadianna. Their language, dance, accent, music, topics, rhythm and
    ————————

    UTTER NONSENSE

  33. Candid Avatar
    Candid

    Rhianna may have made special requests not thinking of costs at the time. It might have been very costly if she made a request for a certain type of casket such as metal (painted or polished) or even the wood to be used, which the director may have had to import. Also she may have requested a specific grade of material to be used for the interior design, etc. Additional features/frills such as these could sky rocket costs.

    Rhianna may have been thinking about a funeral(s) she attended in the USA and wanted the same for her loved one? :^)

    The director may have went above and beyond; he could have been thinking $$ would not be a problem for Rhianna, knowing that she is a celeb, to include all the frills. He probably was thinking that this funeral might be the only chance he gets to make extra $$$ – get as much out of her as he possibly could.

    Whether Rhianna was thinking straight/grief stricken, the question remains what is written in the contract and who signed it.

  34. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Bajans too like to hate their own…..esp when “they” have made it !

    And Rhi Rhi is MEGA….dust for miles…..LOL

    Bad John …..ya too igrunt !

  35. Watching Avatar
    Watching

    My guess is Bad John smell awful like a pit toilet. A second guess is he is a local entertainer. My third guess is he’s white. I’m not bringing in race its just Bad John’s garbage rings familiar to the ridiculous crap we heard around the tussle for the Empire theatre. His vent reeks of jealously and bad mindedness.
    Rihanna is the biggest personality, entertainer and franchise out of the Caribbean. No other Caribbean man or woman in history is more known around the world and she is a mere 25 years old.
    She’s bigger than Marley and Bolt combined. The young woman from Westbury Road is voted among the 100 most influential persons in the world. It doesn’t get bigger than that on a planet of 6 billion and she emerged from our rock where a mere three hundred thousand reside.
    Big up Rihanna she’s a super wealthy diva and we can be justly proud of her. She’s totally Bajan and generous to boot, three million dollars to QEH without batting an eyelid.
    Bad John and pieces of rotting sh#t like him can never stop Rihanna she too smart too rich too beautiful. She’s a winner every time.

  36. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Barbados Today “According to the document, Wilson was asked via email by Elcock on July 2 to send an estimate to Perez, and he responded the following day stating it was too early to prepare a quotation. On July 8 a draft invoice was submitted, which did not include “all of the services rendered by the claimant and/or the other providers”. However, by letter dated July 15, a tax invoice was sent to Rihanna’s company for BDS $301,793.31 (including $42,862.83 in VAT) covering all services, to which they responded with an email requesting a separation of charges, which was done by later dated July 18. On July 22, Rihanna’s company, by email, labelled the payment requested as “outrageous” and on July 31 wired to Wilson a payment of $72,970 “and advised that this was the defendant’s final attempt to resolve the matter”

    First of all Rihanna had no business arranging her grandmother’s funeral. Her grandmother had a husband and children. It was their duty to bury their wife/mother, and Rihanna should have minded her business and assumed only the granddaughter role and not the celebrity role.

    Second I hope that Rihanna did not give the go head for the funeral based on a draft invoice.

    Third Rihanna’s company should never have had to ask for a separation of charges. Funeral directors should always separate the charges upfront.

    Fourth the funeral should not have gone ahead until an itemized invoice was prepared by the director and received by Rihanna (one should NEVER buy a pig in a poke)

    Fifth funerals should never go ahead until the director has received all of his money, that is certainly what I did when burying my old people. The day before the funeral all responsible parties were asked to meet me at the bank with CASH. I deposited the cash and wrote a certified check which was given to the funeral director a few hours before the funeral. But by the I had my itemized invoice in hand, how much for the coffin, the flowers, the reverend, the choir. the newspaper and radio ads etc.

    Undertakers do funerals all everyday, so it should not be that hard to provide an itemized invoice a day or tow before the funeral. And it should not be that hard for the wealthy family of a deceased to write a certified check on the day of the funeral.

  37. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @Simple Simon
    First of all Rihanna had no business arranging her grandmother’s funeral. Her grandmother had a husband and children. It was their duty to bury their wife/mother, and Rihanna should have minded her business and assumed only the granddaughter role and not the celebrity role
    **************
    Simple is as simple writes, do you have the intimate details of what was discussed among the family members? That decision is a family matter and who are you to decide what her role is in this matter?

  38. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Sargeant at 10:31 a.m “$300,000 to put down a duppy!! Wuhloss there is a sucker born every minute and many of the suckers are Bajans where yuh got to fear not only the entrepreneurs trying to get through yuh bedroom window but the rip off artists dressed in suit and ties with their hands firmly in your pocket while they are smiling in your face.”

    Dis mek me laugh so hard that I pee myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Thanks Sarge. ROFLMFAO

  39. Smooth Chocolate Avatar
    Smooth Chocolate

    it is quite sickening that if u look around Barbados, u will see a number of individuals who have big businesses or have been able to amass a fortune not because of their personal talents but because they have overtly rob people just because the individuals needed the services offered and i have no doubt that Rihanna was taken for a ride because of who she is…we seemed to believe that it is okay to charge higher than normal prices according to who’s the person requiring the service.v we have this get rick quick attitude, look at politicians, look at drug dealers, lawyers especially, some doctors…one day this will all come back to haunt us

  40. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Wilson and Downes have exposed themselves for what they are and if anyone had sense they would take their business elsewhere. When a company tells you that they cannot give you a quote on the cost of a service RUN, when they send you an invoice and say that it does not include all services RUN. This is a case of a company trying to milk its client.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    @islandgal

    Because all the services requested were not core services provided by a funeral home ie.multi screen, air conditioned tent etc.

  42. Twistorian Avatar
    Twistorian

    Dear Rihanna,

    Don’t let these tiefing vagabonds bout Barbados rob you. Bds$300K to bury someone? Get you high powered lawyers in New York to make the funeral home look like what they are.

    On another note, given who your ‘Agent’ is you may want to check and make sure you are getting all the money you’ve contracted to earn via your agreement with BTA.

  43. ac Avatar
    ac

    CHAPTER 2
    21 Annual Auditor General’s Report 2012
     The expenditures are adjusted to the Consolidated Fund since these would have occurred in prior periods.
    III. Advances to Hotels & Resorts Ltd
    The Government of Barbados advanced funds to Hotels & Resorts Limited by way of a loan agreement dated 22nd July, 2002. An amount of $145.3 million was advanced, repayable over twenty (20) years at a rate of 07.25% per annum on the reducing balance, with semi-annual repayments at 30th June and 31st December. Repayment was scheduled to commence at June 30, 2005 but this was revised to June 30, 2006. Interest was due with effect from June 30, 2004, to be accrued until the first payment.
    Given the poor finances of this entity, it was always unlikely that repayments would have materialized. A large portion of the debt has subsequently been written off. The outstanding balance on this loan was reported as $85.4 million at 31st March, 2012 with accumulated interest of $30.4 million.

  44. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Somple Simon
    Bushie has to commend you at least on you choice of blogging name. It complements your contributions quite well.

  45. David Avatar
    David

    @islandgal

    Is Downes & Wilson the same funeral home that did the funeral arrangements for the late PM David Thompson?

  46. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    David I don’t know but it would be interesting to get the cost of that funeral and compare it with a lowly person like Rhianna’s grandmother who was not a head of state.

    Rhianna BE CAREFUL with those who surround you especially your own kind who claim they have your best interest at heart. Because dem is a Bajan that doesn’t mean that they are honest. Because they claim to be a Christian that doesn’t mean they are honest. We got people bout hey trying to get rich overnight. DO NOT LET THESE THIEVING MONEY HUNGRY BRASS BOWLS FOOL YOU!

  47. ac Avatar
    ac

    Rihanna adored her grandmother, and when she passed, the Bajan beauty went all out in funeral arrangements for her grandmother.
    Except she allegedly didn’t go all out in actually paying for them. Oops!
    TMZ reports that Rihanna is being sued for the bulk of her grandmother’s funeral costs after simply failing to pay up for the expenses.
    RiRi reportedly had a huge bash to celebrate the life of the late Dolly Braithwaite, complete with tents, TV screens, floral arrangements and more, totaling about $150,000. However, when the bill came, Rihanna is said to have paid about $37,500 worth of the bill and ignored the rest.
    Rihanna has said that the funeral bill was “exorbitant” and refuses to pay any more of it. The funeral home, meanwhile, is basically saying, “Hey, that’s how much all this stuff costs.”
    Of course, there’s a chance that the funeral parlor is taking advantage of Rihanna’s wealth and celebrity, but based on the expenses listed, it doesn’t seem far fetched that the event would have cost more than most people’s houses.

  48. Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!! Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!!

    @ David [BU]

    It is Conflict of Interest, plain and simple but then again what is not in Bim?

    1. Pornville wife subcontracting successfully to government
    2. Al Gilkes, Director of NCF, running an advertising company, on the side, receiving confidential information on cultural activities, in his substantive role, and then passing on such to the competing “interest” of his productions company?

    3. Jose and Jose, continuing supporters of Mia Mottley, benefiting substantially from government contracts from *** until ***

    BU membership could type a whole list of “conflicts of Interest” pre-knowledge and insider trading inclusive of the infamous text from Minister *** “Wunna get de contract, what is my cut?”

    When we appoint poor people as custodians of the vault, poor in finances and abjectly poor in morals, what do we expect? Mother Theresa?

  49. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Twistorian | August 11, 2013 at 7:16 AM |

    Rihanna would be naively foolish to engage the services of any of the rip off artists calling themselves Bajan lawyers (except of course Amused and R R the Rolls Royce of legal power).

    If that D&W funeral home is above board with their final invoice then it would have “genuine’ supporting documentation from third party suppliers to back up its claim (including proof of payment from own funds or amounts still owed).
    The charges along with any administrative fees D&W is entitled to add on would be perused and compared to ‘market’ prices.

    Don’t allow any local lawyer or accountant to handle this matter, Rihanna, even if it should cost you more than the bill D&W is trying to pull over your eyes as it could have possibly done to the State 2 years prior when the baby PM prematurely went to heaven.

  50. Willie Avatar
    Willie

    I hate to sound like a broken record but conflict of interest appears to be standard practice in Barbados and unfortunately at the highest levels. The late PM Thompson backed Minister Ronald Jones when many thought that Jones was in conflict as a government minister and president of the Football Association (and Thompson was a lawyer). David Simmons quickly went from being a government minister to Chief Justice. When will Barbados put in place the mechanism regulating conflict of interest and ethics (an office headed by a trustworthy commissioner and staff)?

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