Luke Browne nominated for Junior Chamber International accolade

Local lawyer and politician Luke Browne, has become the first Vincentian ever to be in the running to become one of the Junior Chamber International’s (JCI) top 10 Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP).

Browne is the only Vincentian and person from the Caribbean in the running this year in the TOYP.

JCI is a non-profit organization of young, active citizens aged 18 to 40 who are engaged and committed to creating an impact in their communities.

According to JCI, there are currently 20 nominees, “each with a unique story of impact and inspiration. From innovative solutions to social challenges to transformative community initiatives, their achievements are truly awe-inspiring.”

The process to select the top 10 persons is currently into the public voting phase and the JCI stresses, “your vote holds immense significance, as it will be included in the final scoring process to determine the ultimate TOYP honoree.

“By casting your vote, you contribute to celebrating and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of these young visionaries.”

Persons wanting to vote for Browne can follow this link https://official.jci.cc/#/home?publicvoting=publicvoting_2

The voting period will conclude at 23:59 GMT on Tuesday, August 8.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday, Browne said he is proud to have made it to the finals of the JCI TOYP.

“I was nominated independently by the local JCI Chamber and there were 150 nominations from 80 countries. Then from that, there was a shortlist of 30 persons, and they are now down to 20 finalists from which the final selection will be made.

“Notably, I am the first Vincentian to be in the finals, and the only person from the Caribbean to be contending for the top 10, so I think this is a significant moment for the country and the region,” Browne said, while noting that the list of nominees has very strong international competitors so he is proud that his credentials stand up to the competition.

The panel of judges include Claudia Deniers of Siemens Energy; Julia Zietemann of the International Trade Centre; Harriet Boland of the Economist Educational Foundation;; and 2023 JCI President, Viktor Ómarsson.

“I am asking for the support of all Vincentians both here and in the Diaspora, and also from people from the Caribbean and throughout the world,” Browne said.

“I think it is an exceptional achievement and I feel quite honoured that the group that nominated me saw my potential and put my name forward, and my credentials were able to live up to the scrutiny,” Browne stressed.

He said the service he gives to the community is its own reward as he gets satisfaction from making an impact on the lives of the persons who are touched through his contribution to development, whether it is through the public service or his legal or political representation.

“I just do it because it is satisfying to me and I think it is a great bonus when the work that you do, that the work is recognized in this outstanding way and it motivates me to continue with my life’s work and making my own contribution to the upliftment of humanity.”

Browne is a National Scholar of SVG (2004), and a Rhodes Scholar (2008). He has studied at the University of the West Indies; the University of Oxford; and the BPP University Law School. Currently, he is a practicing public interest lawyer.

Browne entered Parliament in 2013 at age 27, as a Unity Labour Party (ULP) senator. Two years later, he was appointed to Cabinet and was the youngest member of both Parliament and the Cabinet. He was the Minister of Health, Wellness, and the Environment.

Browne is the Chairman of a charity called the Light Hill Foundation that restores homes for disaster victims, and supports the advancement of education, citizenship, community development, and entrepreneurship. In 2017, the Foundation published a book on Entrepreneurs of SVG.