Barbados Labour Party (BLP) MP-elect Sonia Browne has retained the St Philip North seat for a third consecutive term, attributing her victory in Wednesday’s general election to a strengthened grassroots campaign that reached more voters than ever before.
Amid cheers and a sea of red-shirted supporters at the counting centre on Thursday, Dr Browne crediting an expanded team that blanketed the sprawling single-parish constituency.
The official declaration came after a tense poll count, with the returning officer announcing the final tallies: Browne, 2 434 votes; Simon Clarke of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), 2 128; Anya Lorde of Friends of Democracy, 119; and Nigel Newton of the People’s Coalition for Progress, 26. The total votes cast were 4 797.
Fresh off the campaign, Dr Browne, looking exhausted but elated, dove straight into explaining her edge. “The campaign was rough, you know, it was short and intense. It was really rough, but we worked hard,” she told reporters. Her bolstered ground game paid off. “My team expanded, so we were able to cover more of the constituency this time than maybe the last two times,” she emphasised, noting how voters warmed to her visible efforts. “People were really receptive, though, and they appreciated some of the efforts I made within the constituency.”
That expansion turned the tide in an area known for its size and challenges, allowing her team to knock on doors and rally support in every corner—a marked improvement from her prior campaigns. Supporters surrounded her at the constituency office afterwards in celebration. “Even today we had a little dancing in the constituency office and a little food and a little camaraderie,” Dr Browne said.
Pointing to the vibrant crowd behind her, decked out in BLP red, an interviewer pressed: “How did your team… how, how did they fare with you?” Her response was of instant pride. “Oh, they were, as you can tell, they were all fantastic. It was really a family setting… they were a fantastic team. I won’t give them away for anybody.”
The win marks Dr Browne’s resilience after three hard-fought races. “My resilience speaks for itself, despite all the naysayers and everything we still go through,” said the medical doctor. “We still pull through. I have always been a strong person. It’s hard to get me down.”
Campaign whispers had tested her, she said. “You got calls, you’re not doing well, you’re not doing well. You have to do this,” she recalled, but focus held firm. “We remain focused and we got our goal.”
Exhaustion was real after a sleepless vigil. “I did not sleep for over 24 hours now. It reminds me of when I was training,” she admitted with a laugh. “I would love some sleep.”
On her plans for the rural riding she said: “I want to be able to get around a little more. The constituency is large, as all of you can appreciate, and I really would like to get around a little more and to solve some of the problems. Problems that we’re seeing within St Philip North.”
Browne heaped praise on runner-up Clarke, whose 2 128 votes made the contest a nail-biter. “He ran a good fight,” Dr Browne said. “I will congratulate him on that part, if I must be honest. He ran a good fight. I appreciated his campaign in terms of the platform speeches and so on. He was good.
“I’ve known Simon for years, way back before he was even a lawyer. I want to congratulate him in any event for his efforts… I would suggest and advise them to continue within the political arena.”
Dr Browne’s expanded team, she stressed repeatedly, was the game-changer, ensuring no voter went unheard this cycle. “People were really receptive… and I thought that actually saying what I did publicly brought it home for me.”
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