BARBADOS' NEWEST AMBASSADOR Rihanna will be used to lure more visitors to these shores.

Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy said on Sunday after a thanksgiving mass at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Jemmotts Lane, St Michael, that while nothing had been finalised, Government was "keen" to work with her.

He told the Press the Grammy Award winner was expected to perform at a show planned for this summer in New York "with the express purpose of promoting Barbados".

Additionally, said the minister, the possibility of the 20-year-old songbird doing a promotional song or jingle was being examined.

"We're in discussion right now with her managers and handlers. I have been in contact with them constantly before, during and since her visit and I spoke to her personally while she was here and she is very keen to work with Barbados again.

"She has done work in the past and there was a song off her first album that was used in a Barbados Tourism Authority promo, but there's been a hiatus and there're a number of reasons offered as to why; but this Government, as is evidenced by all that took place last week, is determined to see that Rihanna is acknowledged and recognised for the tremendous work that she is doing as an entertainer, and as a fine example for our young people because she is clearly a young lady with a lot of character. We definitely will be looking at all the possibilities," said Sealy.

He noted that Rihanna was the "advertisement, she promotes us" and they did not want "a feeling" to develop that "we don't appreciate what she is doing or what she could do for us". (DS)