Ambassador Ellsworth John leaving officeCOMING HOME

Another one of St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ top diplomats will be returning home in the next few months.

He is Ellsworth John, Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States. Minister of Foreign Affairs Sir Louis told Searchlight that John will be demitting office sometime “later this year.”{{more}}

“He has been there for six years now. We want to have some changes in our overseas missions. We have been considering the Barbados plan where people are rotated every four years. Sometimes people think they have a lock on the job,” declared Sir Louis.

Speaking to Searchlight from Washington, Ambassador John confirmed that when his contract comes to an end on May 14th this year, it will not be renewed. “Immediately after the election in 2005, I told the Prime Minister it was time for me to come home,” John disclosed. He said that the Prime Minister asked him to hold on for one more year, and since his contract ends in May, it will be convenient for him to demit office at that time.

However, John will not be heading home right away, as he will remain in Washington to coordinate a conference being hosted by the Caricom Ambassador Corps from June 19-21. The conference will involve heads of Caricom States, the President of the United States George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, regional and international bodies such as the National Investments Promotions Inc. and the World Bank.

The Ambassador, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Information Systems hinted that on his return he will take up a position with the Government, but declined to give details other than to say in his new post, he will continue to hold most of his non-resident ambassadorial portfolios including Ambassador to Mexico, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Peru. Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves however told Searchlight that John will have a job in the office of the prime minister and will be coordinating CARICOM and OECS matters.

Sir Louis also confirmed that at least one other overseas diplomatic mission is in for a shake up this year, but stopped short of saying whether it would be the New York, London or Cuba office.