Speaking at Invest SVG’s “Home Is Where the Heart Is” diaspora outreach and investment conference, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Consul General to the United States, Roland Matthews, urged Vincentians living abroad to actively participate in national development by transforming their international success into tangible economic opportunities at home.
Addressing investors, entrepreneurs, and professionals, Consul General Matthews highlighted the conference’s core theme: “Reconnect, Reinvest, Rebuild: Turning Vincentian Global Success into Local Opportunity”.
Matthews emphasized that while the diaspora across North America, Europe, and the Caribbean remains deeply attached to its heritage, connection must extend beyond family ties and nostalgia.
Noting that overseas Vincentians have excelled in fields such as medicine, education, business, finance, technology, construction, agriculture, and entertainment, Matthews described this talent pool as an extraordinary national resource. He called for structured economic, professional, and commercial links between the skills of the diaspora and opportunities within St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Highlighting the second pillar of the theme, Matthews stressed that investment is not restricted to monetary capital alone.
“We must also encourage reinvestment of knowledge, expertise, ideas, technology, professional networks, and entrepreneurial experiences,” Matthews stated. He offered several practical examples of how diaspora skill transfers can drive local progress:
Engineering & Construction: A New York-based Vincentian engineer contributing expertise to local infrastructure projects.
Market Access: A business executive in Toronto assisting local entrepreneurs in expanding into international markets.
Agriculture & Digital Economy: London investors partnering with home-based agricultural enterprises, and diaspora technology professionals opening digital economy doors for local youth.
Matthews noted that Invest SVG plays a vital role in ensuring these processes are efficient and transparent by identifying targeted opportunities and connecting them with qualified diaspora partners.
Addressing the final pillar—rebuilding—Matthews explained that the focus must be on creating an inclusive economy that expands opportunities for young people, builds local business capacity, and connects SVG to regional and international markets.
He called for an end to any perceived divide between Vincentians living at home and those residing abroad. “There must not be separation between Vincentians at home and those abroad. We are one people,” he stated, arguing that shared interests and responsibilities to future generations must unite the nation into one integrated economy.
Matthews outlined an expanded mandate for the SVG Consulate General in New York, stating its responsibilities go far beyond standard consular services to include facilitating business relationships, promoting local products, and strengthening diaspora commercial networks.
He emphasized that diaspora contributions are frequently non-monetary, pointing to returning professionals who volunteer medical services or partner with local institutions to teach modern trade building codes.
To support this, Matthews highlighted the upcoming launch of “Diaspora Connect,” a consulate website initiative designed to map the skill sets and technical expertise of Vincentians in the U.S. so they can be effectively deployed toward national needs.
