‘It is still my intention to be the elected representative of East Kingstown’ — Luke Browne

Former senator, Luke Browne is not deterred by the three defeats he has suffered at the polls in his attempt to become MP for East Kingstown.

“It is still my intention to be the elected representative of East Kingstown,” Browne said recently when asked if he intends to contest the next general elections, constitutionally due by February 2026.

“And that would suggest that I am planning, by God’s grace and with the support of the people, to be a candidate and to be a successful candidate at that,” Browne, a national scholar who was minister of health from 2015 to 2020, further said on Boom FM.

He was recently called to Bar, having returned to St. Vincent after completing studies in law.

“I think that the time is ripe,” Browne said, adding, “I haven’t taken the outcomes of previous elections personal.”

In 2010, Browne running as a candidate for the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) lost to then Leader of the Opposition, Arnhim Eustace, of the New Democratic Party (NDP), who polled 2,589 votes, 467 more than Browne.

Then, in 2015, the margin of victory fell to 149, when Eustace garnered 2,444 votes, compared to Browne’s 2,295

In 2020, Browne lost by 247 votes to the NDP’s Fitz Bramble, a first-time candidate, who polled 2,556 votes, compared to Browne’s 2,309.

“I know what is at play in East Kingstown. I know that there are historical factors that are outside of my control,” he said of the seat that the NDP has never lost.

“And I take that for what it is and I am just determined to do work to overcome the weight of that history. I think we have a very good chance all things considered. So, we just have to keep doing our work diligently,” Browne said.  

Browne, a statistician, said that there has been “a downward trajectory in general in terms of the margin” in East Kingstown since 2010.

“And in the last election, despite the fact that East Kingstown is a hard constituency for the Unity Labour Party and despite the fact that you had in most other constituencies throughout the country, a decrease … in the number of votes received by a candidate, if we look below the surface of the results, you would see that in East Kingstown there was an increase in the number of votes I received.”

He said that East Kingstown is the only constituency outside of Central Leeward where there was an increase in the number of votes for the ULP candidate.

“As it stands, the margin of separation is under 250. And I’d like to remind everyone that in one election cycle, I was able to increase or improve on a margin by over 300 votes,” Browne said.

“So, this thing is well within our sights; it’s well lined up. And I don’t want anybody to think that I have abandoned the political project that I set on course within East Kingstown in 2010.

“In fact, if anything, this political project is reaching a point of critical maturity, and we are ready to bring home that seat to a condition of great and active representation, not a condition of showmanship, not a condition of lip service.”

Browne said his record is very clear, even while he was a member of Cabinet and Parliament.

“Whether I’m not a member of Cabinet or not a Member of Parliament, whether I’m in St. Vincent, or I’m not in St. Vincent, whether I’m studying or not studying, I think everybody could see that look, Luke Browne has a strong connection to this constituency,” he said.

Browne said that connection “keeps me focused.

“It’s the type of connection that in the days of Solomon made the real mother of the child say, ‘Look, I prefer you to give the child to the other woman who’s not the mother, rather than cut the child in halves.’

“I rather continue to execute my desire and vision to represent people in East Kingstown and help them in any way possible, even if it means I have to endure the pain of defeat from time to time at the polls, because I know, so long as you are genuine, and you have a great affection for the people and you are committed to their welfare, and they see that my day of victory will come.”

He said the study of law is important for a number of reasons.

“First of all, it gives me a very strong and independent professional platform; which is useful,” Browne said, adding that it also gives him an opportunity to contribute to a reinvigoration of his father’s 40-year-old law practice.

He further said that his study of law allowed him “to add a very important dimension to my ability to represent people”, adding that before studying law, very often the issues which came before him as a politician had a legal dimension or legal component.

“And I think that the study, and the fact that I was recently called to the Bar helped me to be more relevant and valuable and useful to persons,” Browne said.

He continued:  

“And you see, when people are looking for someone to do a job, I think whatever that job might be, it may be the job of representative, it may be just representation in a legal capacity, they want to get somebody who is best fit, to do the job.

“And I want to present myself to people in general as the person best fit to do the job that they call upon me to do.”

Browne said law has allowed him to do that.

“So, since I’m back, I’ve been basically down in the trenches, spending some time trying to master all elements of the practice,” he said, adding that it is “a steep learning curve”.