St Vincent consul general marks 47th independence anniversary with New York flag-raising
Roland Matthews paid tribute to national hero Chief Joseph Chatoyer and urged the diaspora to help rebuild the nation.
NEW YORK, United States. St Vincent and the Grenadines' Consul General to the United States, Roland "Patel" Matthews, delivered his first independence anniversary flag-raising address at Bowling Green in lower Manhattan on Independence Day, 27 October.
Speaking under this year's theme, "Hand in Hand, Rebuilding Our Nation", Matthews marked the country's 47th anniversary of independence before city officials, Vincentians and members of the Garifuna community.
"Forty-seven years may seem a relatively short period in the history of nations, but within those years lies a remarkable story of courage, sacrifice, adversity, determination, and achievement," he said.
Resilience after La Soufrière
Matthews said the country had faced economic hardship, unemployment, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions and the vulnerabilities of small island developing states. He said the 2021 eruption of La Soufrière tested Vincentians "in extraordinary ways".
"Time and again, we have demonstrated that while our circumstances may challenge us, they do not define us," he said. "Our resilience does, our determination does, our willingness to stand together does."
He urged Vincentians to look beyond 1979 to the deeper roots of the struggle for freedom, paying tribute to Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer, the Garifuna leader who resisted British colonial expansion. "He is our national hero," Matthews said.
Role for the diaspora
The consul general said rebuilding was not only about repairing hurricane or volcano damage but building "a stronger, fairer, more resilient, and more prosperous society", and that it could not be left to government alone.
"The Diaspora must be seen as a partner with skills, ideas, experience and networks that can help transform our country."
He called for more avenues for Vincentians abroad to invest, share expertise, mentor young people and support community projects.
In a separate statement, the consulate said the ceremony was a chance to celebrate the "enduring bonds" between St Vincent and the Grenadines and the United States, and the "invaluable contribution" of the Vincentian diaspora to national development.
