AN OPEN LETTER TO KENTON CHANCE

The views expressed are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the position of One News SVG

Opinion: Four years ago, during the 2015 General Election Campaign season, Orando Brewster appeared on a podium at a Unity Labour Party rally at Layou.

Brewster went to the lectern and delivered an electrifying speech in support of the ULP. When Sir Louis Straker, (who made a surprise return to competitive politics) took the stage to speak, he declared that Mr. Brewster will be a future representative of Central Leeward.

Since then, Mr. Brewster who was at the time studying medicine prepared himself.

The truth is, Mr. Brewster’s name was floating around for ULP Central Leeward candidacy since the 2010 election campaign.

Now, in 2020, having completed his Doctor of Medicine degree, Mr. Brewster is being attacked for entering politics; something he had an interest in doing since two elections ago.

Mr. Brewster has been subject to attacks, some camouflaged as advice, over whether or not he had a degree. When he proved his attackers wrong, they then jumped on the title of his degree. When that was cleared up, they jumped on whether he should finish his internship or not.

One of his attackers in camouflage seems to be you – Journalist Kenton Chance, who raised many eyebrows with your recent ‘Open Letter’ to Mr. Brewster. You’ve also unleashed what appears to be your little verbal proxy wars against him as if he ate your white fowl. People can see clearly your negative headlines aimed at embarrassing the humble, God-fearing, first-time candidate.

Your ‘open letter’, rife with sugarcoated malevolence provided ‘advice’ to Mr. Brewster that he should finish his internship. It did so while attacking Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves by implying that Dr. Gonsalves is somehow doing Mr. Brewster and his career a disservice by accepting his candidacy.

You cemented this by asking Mr. Brewster if he thought the prime minister would allow any of his children to contest an election, having not started their medical internship.

While a lot of people are focusing on the fact that your letter was published publicly instead of being sent to Mr. Brewster privately, the timing of your letter is also very questionable.

It was known that Mr. Brewster was going to run after the 2015 general election. This knowledge reached its peak since mid-August 2020. The open letter was published publicly early on August 27 (at 6:26 a.m), the same day Mr. Brewster was later ratified as a candidate at the ULP National Council meeting at Arnos Vale (in the evening).

Why not write and publish the open letter long before Mr. Brewster was ratified as a candidate if you were being so caring? After all, it was public knowledge for a long while that he was going to contest.

The other issue is the advice itself. Is Mr. Brewster a 12-year old? Sixteen? Twenty-six?

The last time I checked, Mr. Brewster is a married man with children and who decided to gain knowledge in a particular area. What he wants to do, or where he wants to go with that knowledge is his business.

Mr. Brewster is not a teenager trying to find himself, that big brother or daddy Kenton, full of knowledge has to somehow guide him, save him, or direct him.

If Mr. Brewster, in his 30’s wants to go into public health instead of practicing medicine, that his choice and there is nothing wrong with that.

Take Law, for instance, every person that studies Law does not end up in the courtroom to try cases. Some choose to be legal draftsmen or specialist lawyers, others choose to lecture, and others to shape public policy.

Though preparation for Law and Medicine are different and they both have their nuances, the principle remains the same: people know what they want and are entitled to that.

Additionally, who is to believe that you are genuinely concerned about Mr. Brewster after your verbal cold war with him, through articles you published on your site about him?

Do you really want to know what people in Central Leeward believe about this whole situation, Mr. Chance? People believe that you are a propagandist for the opposition New Democratic Party and that you are involved in their strategy to win central leeward.

It is hoped that this belief is wrong but there is a clear strategy that’s seeping out of its place and supporting people’s belief. 

The strategy itself, if real, is foolish: let people think that Mr. Brewster is not fully ready at this time to contest the election and if he does not win, it would be in his best interest because he’d have a chance to undertake his internship. So, on that basis, they can give his opponent Mr. Exeter a chance this time.

Well, Mr. Chance, we have news for you from Central Leeward: we will not take any chances with Mr. Exeter or the NDP in 2020. Orando Brewster will prevail the winner in every respect and central leeward will win with him.

Additionally, Mr. Brewster is an adult who can and will make the best decisions to suit him. He certainly does not need the likes of you to tell him what to do.

In fact, you should write a letter to yourself, reminding yourself of what your purpose should be as a real journalist who should be fair and balanced. 

By a Central Leeward resident