The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has elevated veteran New York-based educator and community organiser Stephen “Scombo” John to ambassador-at-large for diaspora affairs.
The announcement on Sunday at a town hall meeting hosted by SVG Prime Minister Godwin Friday formalised a role John has in many ways been playing informally for years in Brooklyn’s Vincentian community.
The announcement came as a “surprise” segment at the prime minister’s town hall meeting with Vincentians in New York, held at the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Centre, a venue that has long served as a de facto home base for the diaspora.
The prime minister called John “a stalwart of this community” and said the appointment was both recognition and a mandate to deepen structured engagement with Vincentians abroad.
“We want to acknowledge the contribution of a stalwart of this community here in New York City,” Friday told the hall, recalling John’s decades of service as educator, administrator and organiser at Friends of Crown Heights.
“He has been in this place here for many, many years, and has hosted us here … an educator, business person, community leader — all of those wonderful accolades and attributes.”
Describing him as “a tower of strength” to the New York Vincentian community, the prime minister said John has been among the first to respond whenever SVG has faced a crisis at home.
“When there is a disaster at home, first thing on the phone — ‘What can we do to mobilise?’” Friday said.
“When there are opportunities, people coming here to New York — ‘What can we do to help?’”
Against that backdrop, he framed the move as a natural next step.
“We want him to continue, not just on behalf of ourselves as friends, but on behalf of the government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” the prime minister said, before inviting senior diaspora advisor Sharon Jones to read the formal citation.
The document, bearing the seal of the government and issued under the prime minister’s signature, appoints John as ambassador-at-large for diaspora affairs of SVG, “with all rights, privileges, courtesies and immunities to that office” under international law and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
It notes that he is “charged to support the diaspora strategy and [undertake] such special duties and representations as may from time to time be entrusted to him on behalf of the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines”.
The citation further requests that heads of state, governments and international organisations receive John with all due honour, and …extend him all such lawful assistance as may be required in the performance of his functions.
Jones preceded the reading of the instrument with a brief sketch of John’s professional trajectory: retired New York City principal, senior administrator at Friends of Crown Heights, former assistant treasurer at J.P. Morgan Chase, programme coordinator at East Suffolk BOCES, and holder of multiple degrees from City College of New York and Baruch College, along with earlier teacher training in the Caribbean.
The appointment was dated Sept. 17, 2026, signed and sealed in Kingstown.
John returned from New York in December 2000 and ran as a candidate for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the South Windward, losing to Sir Vincent Beache.
He has served as the long-time president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Progressive Organization of New York, Inc. (SPOONY), the New York arm of the NDP.
In response, John struck a humble, reflective tone, saying, “I accept this honour with humility to serve the people of SVG.
He paid particular tribute to his family, noting that his wife June was not present but had been central to his journey, as were his children.
“I know without your blessing, I could not achieve this honour today,” he said.
John located his new title at the end of a long road that began in modest circumstances in rural St. Vincent.
“I stand here today, an imperfect man who was rejected, denied, cast aside. Yet, I have the capacity to rise,” he told the audience.
“I stand here today as ambassador-at-large, but I remember the very first day I entered Stubbs Primary School: a big fellow for my age, but not old enough to start school.”
He recalled how his first teacher, Anita Black, had allowed him to remain in class for half a day despite his age.
“Along the way from that experience to today, I’ve been blessed with the generosity and kindness of many people, far too numerous to mention,” he said.
“But I’m grateful that along the way, these people saw something in me good enough to want to commit to this project — a project still under construction.”
John pledged to honour the confidence placed in him.
“I appreciate this honour, extraordinary honour, and I promise that with God’s help, I’ll do my very best to serve the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and to make my country proud,” he said.