Stephen “Scombo” John appointed Ambassador at Large for Diaspora Affairs SVG

“I stand here today. An imperfect man, rejected, denied, passed aside, yet I have a capacity to rise”, words spoken by Stephen John, the newly installed Ambassador-at-Large for Diaspora Affairs at the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The appointment of John, popularly known as “Scombo”, was announced during a town hall meeting of government officials and Vincentians in New York on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at Friends of Crown Heights, located at 671 Prospect Place in Brooklyn, New York.

“I’ve been blessed with the generosity and kindness of many people, far too numerous to mention. 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. 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 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and to make my country proud,” John expressed following the announcement.

A social media post under the name godwin friday svg said: “I was pleased to announce the appointment of His Excellency Stephen Hules John as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Ambassador-at-Large for Diaspora Affairs”, adding, “Ambassador John brings with him decades of professional experience, a strong record of service and, importantly, a deep connection to the Vincentian community here in the United States”.

“Our Vincentian diaspora is an important part of our country. Wherever our people live, they continue to contribute their knowledge, experience, connections and resources to the development of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,” the post also stated.

John, who holds a Master of Science degree in Supervision and Administration, and a Master of Science in Special Education, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, is expected to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines and support the mandate of the Department of Diaspora Affairs, particularly in strengthening engagement with Vincentians abroad and fostering greater connections between the diaspora and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

John, who previously ran as an official NDP candidate for the South Windward constituency against the late Sir Vincent Beache, also served as president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Progressive Organisation of New York (SPOONY), which operated as the New York and US-based arm of the NDP, holding fundraising and community relief efforts in Brooklyn.