Entertainers blast pastor for 'insensitive' comments

Some female entertainment industry players have swooped down on Montego Bay pastor/motivational speaker Noland Ridgard because of a viral post that he made addressing girls' attire.

In the post, the clergyman implores parents and guardians to pay attention to where their children are and how they are dressed.

"Children need to be better supervised. pay attention to where they are and how our girls are dressed, especially when they are on holidays. A child must look like a child," he said.

Ridgard's statement came just days after the murder of 14-year-old Yetanya Francis in Arnett Gardens.

The teenager's partially burnt body was found in the community last Friday after she left her home the previous night to purchase food at a nearby shop.

While some admitted that they agree with aspects of his post, others blasted him, stating that his statement was insensitive, especially with the recent stories of teenage girls, like Yetanya, being murdered.

"So basically, what dis motivational speaker/counsellor a say is, when little girls are raped, dem beg fi it because of how dem dressed? So I suppose when di big grey-toned mongrel dem rape off babies inna pampers, a some swaggerfic and sexually tantalising pampers dem have on. This is one of di tings that is wrong round here. Dem always pin it on those who have been assaulted," said ZJ Sparks.

According to dancehall artiste Ce'Cile, a female is not raped because of what she wears. She said that Ridgard's statement is creating an excuse for abuse.

"When are people going to understand that rapists don't rape because you nuh dress from head to toe? They also rape people who are fully clothed ... . they rape nurses going home and church people. Please stop saying this. especially when it just happen, because what you do is create an excuse for the situation," Ce'Cile said.

"More fire ... . it's always the victims' fault. That is what they keep teaching our girls. that's why when most of them are raped, they choose to cry inside and just face it alone cause we ain't got no support. it's always our fault," Brown Shuga added.

THE WEEKEND STAR attempted to get a comment from Ridgard to no avail.