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Orando Brewster, the Unity Labour Party's candidate for Central Leeward at the party event last week, where he also said he has a "doctorate in medicine".  (Photo: Lance Neverson/Facebook)
Orando Brewster, the Unity Labour Party’s candidate for Central Leeward at the party event last week, where he also said he has a “doctorate in medicine”. (Photo: Lance Neverson/Facebook)
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The ruling Unity Labour Party candidate for Central Leeward Orando Brewster says he did not know the difference when he said he had a “doctorate in medicine” rather than a “Doctor of Medicine” (MD) degree.

Brewster, 33, a first-time candidate, has found himself having to explain his credentials after saying publicly at least twice that he holds a “doctorate in medicine”.

He made the statement on Star FM, the ULP’s radio station, on July 22 and again last week Wednesday, when the party formally announced his candidacy and that of three other persons during a virtual political rally.

Among the persons present at that event were two PhD holders, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, and Mineva Glasgow, the ULP’s candidate for South Leeward, who was also launched as a candidate.

On Tuesday, Brewster took to Xtreme FM during an interview on what he said was the certificate showing his qualifications.

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One of the hosts who read part of the contents of one of the documents, noted, however, that the Doctor of Medicine degree, awarded by All Saints University, was dated Aug. 5, 2020.

Asked on Wednesday to state clearly what his qualifications are, Brewster told iWitness News: 

“As I portrayed to Xtreme yesterday, I am a holder of a Doctor of Medicine degree, an MD degree and that issue is dead, as far as I am concerned.”

iWitness News noted that on at least two occasions previously Brewster had said that he holds a “doctorate of medicine”.

“Ok. That was just a matter of semantics. It is supposed to be a doctoral certificate. That just a gaffe; it wasn’t anything…” he was saying when the call ended suddenly.

When iWitness News immediately returned the call, Brewster answered.

He continued:  

“It is just the same thing as saying I have an MD degree.  I didn’t think it was a big issue.”

Randy Brewsters certificate2
A screen capture of the certificate that Brewster took to Xtreme FM on Tuesday.

Asked if he was aware that an MD is not the same thing as a doctorate, Brewster said, “Well, yeah. Fine. After that, I did my research and found out the difference because the doctorate is a PhD holder.”

Brewster said he did the examination on June 26, adding, “But the process, you have to wait because graduation is in August and they give you the option of graduating. But with COVID-19, all these things are at a standstill so I took the option of just accepting my diploma.”

Asked what the date of the diploma was, Brewster said he could not remember and he did not have it with him then.

iWitness News noted that on Xtreme FM, the announcer had said that date on the diploma was  Aug. 5.

Asked if that sounded correct to him, Brewster said, “I guess that’s the date it was printed from the university.”

Brewster was asked what he would say to people who said that when he said in July that he had an MD that that was not actually the case because he had not received the certificate.

iWitness News further asked Brewster if he thought this was of any consequence.

“That was July 22. I had finished my exam; I had passed my exam. I did the exam the 26th of June. I was informed via email that I had been successful and I know it was only a matter of receiving my diploma. And I did my white coat how many years ago — about two years ago… This exam is a tough exam. I took time out to study for this exam, to prepare for this exam,” Brewster said. 

iWitness News noted that the certificate shown on Xtreme appears to have a space with some typed characters under a line, which appears to be reserved for a signature.

Randy Brewsters certificate
Some persons have pointed out that the document appears to be missing a signature.

iWitness News asked Brewster if he knew if this was the case.

“You would have to get on to the school for that, but as far as I am concerned that same document holds the school stamp, that is shown clearly. So if you look at the document, you will see that it is stamped by the school. That is just the letter that comes with the diploma.”

Asked if, as far as he is aware there is no signature missing, Brewster said, “As far as I am aware, the school has put its stamp on it so there is nothing that can beat the school stamp.”

iWitness News reiterated that the question was about a signature and not the school stamp.

Brewster said: “Well you can get on to the school and ask that question because I went through it, I received it, that what I got, I signed and collected my diploma.”

Brewster, however, said that he could not practise medicine as it stands now.

“No. I have to finish the internship programme which I have put on pause for this political aspiration that I have coming up here.”

Asked if he is successful in his political efforts what then would become of his medical degree and whether he intends to practice medicine, Brewster said:  

“I don’t know what the future holds; that’s in God’s hand. I am gonna take my direction from him, as to how to proceed forward. So with prayers and careful consideration I will know what the next chapter holds.”

iWitness News asked if he had also approached with “prayers and careful consideration” his decision to enter politics, Brewster said, “With prayer, with fasting and a lot of prayerful consideration.”

He said he took the same approach regarding his career in medicine.

“I have always been someone who puts God at the forefront in everything I do.”

16 replies on “Brewster says he mixed up medical degree, doctorate”

  1. Just political gibberish. I cannot tell you what to do but there is a common adage that says you can’t put the cart before the horse. Certainly your political aspirations will clash with your medical studies. However, only in Vincent is double dipping is permissible, one can practice law full time while being a member of Parliament. It means that there is less time available to its constituents.

    1. I don’t know Orande Brewster and no need to know an individual to provide an honest suggestion. But why would any Medical discipline minded newly graduated professional; want to forgo his internship to run for politics? I have no doubt that the advice of state fathers such as the Late Milton Cato, Huston Tannis, Milton Mayers, Dr Fredrick Ballantyne, and even many fair minded well-wisher elders of today; would advise him to do his intern first. Walk safe and Good Dr. Brewster; as politics is only as promising as you can adhere to being a YES; YES Survivor.

  2. Urlan Alexander says:

    I will not take any medication from you at all. You seem to have no clue what your degree is about so how can you be trusted? You claimed God made decisions for you and that is good . However you opined that God made you study medicine and then God direct you to enter politics, you seem to playing with God. You are one contradicting young man.

  3. Alwayn Leacock says:

    He totally confused if it’s A diploma then he has another step in being a doctor MD is equivalent to an MBBS he is a doctor but he is not a registered practitioner he has an internship to complete. Interns or foundation doctors as they are called in the UK or residents in the US are pre registered. A diploma is not a Bachelors even in American speak its way below.

    You should know this Mr. Brewster just be yourself what are you trying to prove?

  4. Insulting someone especially publicly, often for them, may be rather quite humiliating indeed, yet when recently Ralph Gonsalves took to insulted KINGSLEY DEFREITAS by telling him “Kingsley DON’T SUPPORT ME for God sake” that is, in his referring to the forthcoming General Election here, Kingsley Defreitas just simply laughed.

    What should anyone take from such a sad discourse? Firstly for me, that Kingsley Defreitas must be most awfully thick-skinned or that he have been won over by Ralph’s and his redshirted men’s Socialist ideals and thus wished to join the old man’s band of sycophants.

    Secondly, or that that Kingsley Defreitas, like so many others here, finds it extremely difficult to throw off the shackles of the results of oppressive slavery and no amount of insults, drudgery or subjugation, could get them to walk away from oppression and onto a new road into freedom, away from totalitarian oppression, which sure is a shame.

    Therefore, have we Vincentians degenerated ourselves into collective masochistic individuals? Have we been beguiled by those redshirts? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6m6q7I_1zY Will we never pay the price of freedom?

  5. Fidus Achates says:

    What a delima. It’s sad that the current administration makes people sacrifice their livelihood for their cause. I hope he knows what he has gotten himself into.

  6. Edwin Charles says:

    It’s puzzling to me that someone who has a medical degree does not know the difference between an M.D. and a Ph.D. hmm!

  7. This Brother is just a wanna be.He is studying MEDICINE for GOD’S sake and talking like that… UNBELIEVABLE. Take off the white coat and stay in the political arena. That is the right course for you.

  8. IWN should follow the money: Many degrees are bought from criminal establishments. Places like India is ripe with these outfits. Is there an establish University or other educational outfit where he obtained his education. He may have a student card so prove his point. All he has to do is to produce the necessary documents and that should end all the speculations.
    How can he expect Layou people to trust him, when he’s in bed with SVG biggest lair? He would surely wake up with fleas. My advice: Stick to medicine if you are qualified.

  9. It is quite sad to see how this debate seeks to cheapen Mr. Brewster’s academic achievement. The thing is: An MD is a professional degree that is greatly superior to the PhD of the PM and others–academic non-professional degrees.

    Please give the brother a break. He can proudly call himself Dr. Brewster and the diploma should not be taken as a guarantee that he will succeed in the future–just an indicator that he has the intellect and discipline to pursue and complete rigorous initiatives. At a time when many Vincentians young men are squandering their academic/intellectual promise, I for one will continue to applaud those who walk out in faith to achieve their degrees, professional or otherwise.

    May Vincentians respect this man in his own name, rather than his political affiliation, and may God continue to guide his future.

    Good Luck my fellow Vincy brother.

  10. What a time pon massa earth. Even the common certification should be signed by department of physician for doctors . No signature has been signed to proof the attestation of witness wow . And furthermore he doesn’t know the differences between a PHD and a MD .

  11. Kittana Albert says:

    There is no where in God’s word that it tells us to trust in man God told us to love man and thrust Him man fails terribly all the time God remains faithful trust Him not man

  12. Those dunce bath in Svg who doesn’t know how university goes. If the man finished his degree and awaiting graduation doesn’t that day sats he have his degree. Dmh

  13. It’s wonderful to see this gentleman moving up ,I hire his taxi a few times to go home,he always have his children with him in the taxi, please young man go and finish your studies, politics is a very ungrateful profession, look around and see how some politicians look after a life of politics.

  14. Nathan Jolly Green says:

    As a preacher he is in breach of the Constitution, he cannot be elected as a member of parliament if he is a preacher, unless of course he is a member of the Unity Labour Party, then he can do anything he likes.

    The constitution is broken every day by the ULP, they make it up as they go along.

    Is this man for real?

Comments closed.