St Lucia’s outgoing deputy High Commissioner to the UK Her Excellency Mrs. Leonne Theodore – John hosted a dinner party at the High Commission in London on Saturday, February 12th to mark the end of her diplomatic journey in a grand farewell ceremony and celebration.
Not even the cold temperature could have dampened the party spirit in the British capital last weekend as H.E Mrs.John was afforded a grand send-off at a party attended by a parade of political power players including the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, and the High Commissioners of Dominica and Barbados respectively.
After 4 years of tirelessly working as the Minister Counsellor H.E.Mrs., John will be retiring from her role at the High Commission to return back to St Lucia.
” I wish to start by first giving thanks to Almighty God for his immeasurable and bountiful blessings towards me,” said Mrs.John. “To my husband who is not here with me, I also say thank you for always allowing me to grow and fly, for you are the wind beneath my wings.”
In an almost packed room with about 100 guests, comprised of prominent members from across the St Lucian diaspora, H.E Mrs.John welcomed the Guests at the reception who enjoyed cocktails and hors-d’oeuvres before paying tribute to the great work that the High Commission is doing.
“I am most grateful for the formidable and enduring friendships I made along the way in the last 4 years during my stint here at the High Commission, with work colleagues with the St Lucian diaspora Associations, with the CARICOM High Commissioners caucus, and with the ordinary nationals who walked through the doors of the High Commission for St Lucia,” said Mrs.John who reminded the audience of her struggles and the many battles she fought to get to where she is today in a rousing speech.
Guest of Honour Baroness Patricia Janet Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary-General paid tribute to the Deputy High Commissioner for serving her country magnificently. “The minister Counsellour Mrs. Leonne John has made an enormous contribution not just to St Lucians here but also to the whole commonwealth family. It is my great privilege and pleasure to be able to come tonight and to thank her for her hard work and to say thanks for all the contributions made by St Lucians and to wish her well and I hope God will bless her,” said Baroness Scotland who praised the outstanding contributions made by the commonwealth community in helping to enrich the UK.
Other distinguished guests included the acting High Commissioner for Dominica, Janet Charles who praised the Minister Counsellor for her commitment and engagement with the community in the UK.
“Leonne was amazing and unique and did things in her own way. She was selfless and she made sure that whatever she did was her best – She will always be remembered for her love, sincerity, support, and hard work. She will go places. I have great hopes for her.” said H.E. Janet Charles.
In her closing remarks, H.E.Mrs John reminded patrons of her humble beginnings and what life was like growing up in the South of St Lucia.” I am the girl who grew up in the countryside of Grace, Vieux Fort. I was raised by a very wise, stern, and industrious nonsense mother. A girl who had to go to the river to wash as one of my friends so constantly reminds me, to the woman who has a dream and continues to dream, work hard persevered and became a Barrister, a wife, a mother, served as both president of the senate and speaker of the house of assembly of Saint Lucia.”
She adds: “Through this journey, I encountered many trials and tribulations but continued to soar and triumph despite the hurdles: For what may have the appearance of a glorious and prestigious job here in the UK, was no bed of roses, so to the situation under which I left St Lucia as the speaker of the house of assembly to move to the UK to take up the post of Minister Counsellor at the High Commission, and ironically held the post of Charge D’Affaires for the last 8 months.”
She ends with a poem by her favourite poet Maya Angelou: Still, I rise
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust I rise.
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This is such a brilliant essay by Malcolm. I have not seen him on the comments pages for a while now. I use to look forward to reading his well-written pieces in the past. I concur with most of what Malcolm writes. I personally know Mrs. Leonne John who is from the South like me and she has certainly done well for herself and our people. She is representing. She had a good upbringing and did well in school. I love to see our people doing well. I heard that Dr. Anthony might give up his hat come the next election. Maybe she could switch allegiances and join his party so she could be chosen to contest the seat. She would stand a good chance of winning. I wish Leonne well in her future endeavours. Keep the essays coming Malcolm. I hope you are well in Europe. Respect To Leonne…. Her Excellency The Right Hon.Mrs Leanne John.
I have known Mrs. Leonne John for a while now. She is a wonderful woman who has served her community of Vieux Fort well. She went up against Moses Musa and almost caused a scare. People were hoping that she would have beaten him in the previous election. She got close but not close enough to win the seat.
She served at the High Commission with distinction and great aplomb. She was always helping people out come what may. A lot of st Lucians who got into immigration difficulties would contact the High Commission in Kensington and she would be ready to assist. The High Commission in the past has been useless but Mrs. John made it useful. I have been there and seen what it is like to go there and I stopped going there for help. They don’t invite me to their events and personally, I couldn’t care less. Leonne John changed all that with Mr. Guy Mayers when he served as the High Commissioner.
Leonne John was always there to make sure that our Lucian people were looked after. She went above and beyond to ensure that. I hope she returns in the future to serve her country this time as a full ambassador/High Commissioner. She will return back to St Lucia where opportunities lie. She might want to help rebuild the Flambeau party so it can contest the next general election. She could become an opposition leader or a future Prime Minister. I wish her well in her endeavours. The Girl from Vieux Fort has done well. Big Up Mrs. Leonne Theodore John!
First, let me start by wishing Her Excellency The Right Hon. Mrs. Leonne John all the very best for the future. She has certainly served her country well and deserves every right to be given a good send-off. I have never met her nor do I know much about her. Most of what I know about her is written in this glaring piece about her departure. I first heard about her when she was in charge politically in St Lucia, running both houses of parliament.
She has done well and I am very happy for her. She came from humble beginnings according to the article, to be where she is today. She got there despite the odds being stacked against her. You have to give credit to her. A girl who once washed her linen by the river, to a woman who is now a barrister and the Charge D’Affaires of the High Commission. St Lucia has many such rags to educated stories I would imagine. I hope many others on the island would emulate her. She is a diplomatic colossus and should be afforded every accolade there is in St Lucia.
Our beautiful island needs more people like Mrs. Leonne John. I like her story. I love her vibes. She is a cool ballsy woman. She is spunky, affable, and high-spirited. St Lucia needs more women like her who are ebullient, irrepressible, and full of beans. She moves in high circles and this is reflected in the picture she took with the gladsome Commonwealth Secretary-General. Mrs. Patricia Scotland spoke highly of her newfound friend. That is the sort of recommendation that she needs if she is going to go places as the Dominican High Commissioner said. She needs all these important people in her corner.
Mrs. John has tremendous potential and political acumen. She has legal savvy. She has dealt with the faceless British Home office and came out smelling of roses. This is not a feat that many have successfully navigated. This brutal bunch of cowards have done all in their power to make life unbearable for the many current crop of the Windrush generation who fought to defend Britain and who also helped rebuild its cities after the German blitz.
Hats off to Mrs. John for taking on this dreadful and crummy lot and being able to tell the tale. She is brave fearless, bold, and valiant. I wish a few of our cowards and bootlickers in Britain will follow suit and follow her example. If only they would do that then life would be so much more tolerable for our people in the UK. A lot of our so-called leaders have sold their souls to the establishment in order to fit in. These sellouts take pride in selling themselves and their people out. They don’t care about the people they purport to represent.
Mrs. John in her short stay in the UK has done more than most of these dishonourable black leaders have done for our people in the UK. Maybe we should afford her another opportunity to carry on with the work that she has done. We need people like Mrs. John here in the UK to help our people. There are not many selfless, self-sacrificing, and benevolent people like her. They don’t make them these days. The House of Lords and parliament is loaded with acquisitive politicians who wake up in the morning and do not give a rat’s nest about the people they represent. They only care about themselves and their cohorts.
These avaricious political animals will do anything to stay in power so that they can continue to milk the system and the public purse. They are mean nasty and possess and rapacious. Look at the current London mayor. This is a man who preached about making life bearable for Londoners before being elected. Instead of doing just that he is about to do the opposite without an ounce of empathy and sympathy for the people of London. This man has no shame.
The year has barely started and he is already unveiling plans to put up the fares so he can make up for his financial incompetence. London is by far the most expensive city in the world and nincompoops like this current mayor and the other politicians in Westminster are not making it easy for the general populace. These pillocks are full of venom and vitriol for the British public. They are full of antipathy towards the very people who put them in office. Is this what you call democracy? I don’t think so. No wonder Thomas Paine referred to governments and those charged with running it as Brutes. Paine was so right about this.
I am delighted to offer my warmest and sincerest thanks to Her Excellency Mrs. Leonne John, for the marvellous work she carried out in Britain.
Mrs. John is a rare asset, worthy of advancement, Her accomplishment is the culmination of hard work and I raise my glass in her honour. If only we had caring, solicitous, mindful, considerate, kind, concerned, and worthwhile Politicians like her in the UK. She has shown what she is made of during her short stint here in the UK. She is productive, dynamic, fruitful, vigorous, and effectual. She is simply unassailable and indubitable. She is truly a woman with an indomitable spirit. You have served your beautiful country well. Hats off to you and may you continue to serve our people. You are a beacon of hope to many. Keep up the good work.
Malcolm L’Overture
Haitian Lucian
Paris France