Senator Mary Isaac’s aversion to “divisive” runoffs led to her pulling out of the Castries South race. The Health Minister made the disclosure on Thursday, during an appearance on Newsspin with Timothy Poleon.
On March 30 the incumbent United Workers Party (UWP) announced that Isaac and Buffalo Odlum opted not to compete in a three-way runoff to select a candidate for the constituency. This paved the way for the endorsement of Bertand Johannes.
“It’s all about consensus,” Senator Isaac told Poleon. “I had always maintained that I will not go through a runoff. I went through it once [in 2016] and to me, it is a very divisive mechanism to have to go through to end up with a candidate.”
She noted that this method is utilized by Saint Lucia’s political parties but having gone through it once, she is not eager to go down that road again. “Because I realize how divisive it can be,” she said. “Usually it leaves some level of bitterness or division amongst the people and I don’t think that that is necessary going into an election. So given that, I felt at this point in time the party ought to be able to name all its candidates by now, so I decided to pullout.”
The senator further explained that a party ought to be on the same page, and says she is at peace with the fact that she did not put one member against another. Isaac noted that by bowing out, she is respecting the process without getting disgruntled. She pointed out that some politicians do the opposite and embark on an independent route. Said Isaac: “So at the end of the day in my old age when I look back, I can safely say that I did not cause any conflict and I did not cause anybody to get upset at anybody…I am happy that I am able to do that and I’m content with myself that I have done it. I know that a lot of people are disappointed and I don’t mean to disappoint anyone, but at the end of the day we need to do what is right even when we may feel that we are going against people’s expectations.”
Despite losing the seat by only 46 votes in 2016, the minister says she did not feel entitled to be chosen by the party automatically. Nobody is entitled to run a constituency without first going through the process, Isaac stressed. The senator reminded listeners that she must be subjected to the same process, regardless of ‘how well’ she has performed as Minister of Health.
“In life there is never any entitlement. Even the very life that we are given can be taken away at any time. Only God decides on these things. So I never feel any level of entitlement when it comes to anything in life. So it is definitely not that I feel entitled,” she declared.
She thanked her supporters for their unwavering support and urged them to throw their support behind the recently endorsed Johannes.
What’s next for Mary Isaac?
Isaac denied rumors that she has been offered a diplomatic post in Canada, stating: “That’s a very cold country and I think I’ve had enough of the cold.” She stressed that her focus is on serving the country. “I want to continue to serve in whatever capacity I can; in my party, yes, in government, yes, in my garden, if that’s what it is, fine. But I’m not too concerned about that right now.”
She added: “I have not been told that I will be given a diplomatic post in Canada, that is not on the table. Not to say that it cannot be but for now, it was just I decided I do not want to go through a runoff and therefore I am removing myself from contesting the next general election. I remain the minister of health and that is my main focus; it has always been and it will continue to be.”
