New Consul: Partnership crucial to elevate SVG culture

As the new Dr. Godwin Friday administration in St. Vincent and the Grenadines works to elevate the cultural presence of the country, ensuring that its identity is not only preserved but “proudly” projected, new Consul General to the United States Roland “Patel” Matthews, says the success of his mission depends on partnership.

“Let me be clear, none of this can be achieved in isolation,” said Mattews, a former Member of Parliament, in his maiden address, on Saturday, April 18, to a broad cross-section of Vincentian groups in New York, organized by the Brooklyn-based umbrella organization, Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations, U.S.A., Inc. (COSAGO).

“It depends on you, the leaders in this room, the organizations you represent, and the communities you serve,” added Matthews at the event in the auditorium at St. Paul’s (Episcopal) Church in the Village of Flatbush, Brooklyn. “My goal is simple: To bring people together, to move beyond fragmentation, and to build a unified, purposeful Diaspora that can contribute meaningfully to national development.

“As I look ahead, I am not concerned with recognition,” he continued. “I am concerned with results, with impact, and with what we are able to build together.
“My commitment is to serve with diligence, integrity, and purpose – always in the best interest of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” said Matthews, who replaced Rondy “Luta” McIntosh at the New York-based Consulate General.
He noted that, while the Consulate may be “modest in size, our ambition is bold.”

Some attendees listen closely to the addresses during the Vincentian ”Meet and Greet” at St. Paul’s Church in the Village of Flatbush. Photo by Nelson A. King

“As our Jamaican counterparts would say, ‘we small, but we tallawah,’ he said. “Let us use this moment not simply as a welcome but as a starting point – a starting point for deeper collaboration, stronger connections, and greater impact,” Matthews added. “Together, let us move forward with clarity, with unity, and with purpose.

“The future of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will not be built by chance but by choice,” he continued. “And tonight, we choose to build it together. There is a simple truth that brings us together this evening:
A nation is not defined only by its borders, but by its people, wherever they may be.”

The new consul general said he was “deeply honored to stand among those who continue to carry the spirit, identity, and strength of St. Vincent and the Grenadines far beyond our shores”, expressing “sincere appreciation” to COSAGO “for convening this reception and for the vital role it plays in bringing together Vincentian associations across the United States.”

He also acknowledged the presidents, executive members, and representatives of several groups present at the Meet and Greet, stating that their “leadership, your service, and your commitment are the backbone of this community.”
Since assuming office on March 1, 2026, Matthews said he has been “both encouraged and inspired by the strength, resilience, and pride of our people here in New York and across the wider Diaspora.

“After more than three decades in public service, I see this role not as a transition, but as a continuation,” he added. “Whether in the classroom, in parliament, or now in diplomacy, my focus has remained the same: national development and the advancement of our people.”
Matthews, a former secondary school teacher in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, said the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Consulate General in the United States has been given “a renewed mandate that goes way beyond providing consular duties.”

Edward Barrow, a member of the Vestry at St. Paul’s Church in the Village of Flatbush, welcomes the new Consul General on behalf of the church. Photo by Nelson A. King

He said investment opportunities and trade development are now to be pursued with “more vigor and prominence.”
“We must be more than an office,” he said. “It must be a bridge – a bridge with two important lanes running in opposite directions – one lane that connects our homeland to its Diaspora, and the other connects our Diaspora to opportunities in their homeland.”

Matthews said central to that vision is “a new and more structured approach to Diaspora engagement,” disclosing that the Consulate General has launched a Diaspora Engagement Project, entitled “Engaging the Vincentian Diaspora in National Development Through Trade and Investment.”
He said the first component is a Diaspora questionnaire that is now being circulated and can be accessed through the Consulate General’s social media pages, i.e., Facebook and Instagram.

Mattews said the information is also located on the St. Vincent Consulate General cards, which were shared at the event.
“This is not a routine exercise; it is the foundation of a more deliberate effort to understand who we are as a Diaspora, what we bring, and how we can work together more effectively,” he said. “The insights gathered will inform a broader Diaspora engagement and investment framework, designed to connect Vincentian skills, expertise, and resources to national priorities.”

At the same time, Matthews said the Consulate is “taking concrete action,” disclosing that it has already facilitated over US$162,000 in scholarships for Vincentian students through new partnerships with Leadership Initiatives, an organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., “opening doors of opportunity for our young people.”
He said the Consulate has supported a US$10 million expansion initiative at St. James Medical School in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, “contributing to the strengthening of our education and health sectors.”

In addition, Matthews said the Consulate General is advancing strategic partnerships in key areas, including trade, investment, and institutional capacity building.
He said this includes ongoing discussions with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) for counterterrorism and intelligence leadership “to provide close protection and specialized security training for officers of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, with the potential to extend these benefits to the wider Caribbean region.”

Matthews said the Consulate is also exploring collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to support trade and investment facilitation, sustainable development strategies, and greater integration of St. Vincent and the Grenadines into global trade frameworks.
He said the Consulate had previously engaged UNCTAD to develop the IGUIDE (electronic guide to doing business in St. Vincent and the Grenadines).
Matthews said Engaging the Vincentian Diaspora in National Development Through Trade and Investment is an extension to “this previously executed one.”

Since assuming duty, he said several stakeholders have visited his office or called to seek information, “with a view to further discussing ideas and initiatives in business, technical cooperation, and agriculture.”

In welcoming Matthews, Edward Barrow, a member of the Vestry at St. Paul’s Church, noted that the Vincentian community in “these areas is rapidly expanding in numbers,” stating that “service at the Consulate may become more demanding than before.”
Stating that the Vincentian communities in the New York metropolitan area are not monolithic but are of varying political and non-partisan views, Barrow told Matthews that he may find himself “in the midst of some serious adversarial competitive debates, regarding one subject to another, of which you may have to become the mediating influence.

“Since you have committed to the avoidance of political division during your tenure, but instead to harnessing the unique talents of all Vincentians for national development beyond partisan lines, you may find it interesting that, in the process of garnering those differing views in reconciliation, you are guaranteeing a very successful term at the consulate,” Barrow predicted.

Crispin Friday, COSAGO president, told Caribbean Life afterward that “the event showed a sign of interest amongst people of Vincentian heritage to help the development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

He said 20 groups were represented at the Meet and Greet, and that “there was a positive interaction between these representatives and Consul General Roland Matthews.”

Former COSAGO President Laverne McDowald-Thompson, now serving as vice president, also told Caribbean Life that “it was, indeed, a pleasure meeting and greeting our New Consul General to the USA.

“The Consul General had the opportunity to hear from each organization about their mission and what they do in helping in the development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” she said. “All were focused and centered around nation-building in areas of education, health care, culture, and sports.

“COSAGO has built a close relationship with the Consulate. We have had the privilege of working with the office, especially at times of national significance,” McDowald-Thompson added. “Our focus is the same with Consul General Matthews. Together, we will work for the development of our homeland.”