Great loss to community

Dear Editor:

On Monday, August 16, the Placentia area suffered a significant setback when it paid its last respects to Ken Browne. While I had known Ken most of his life, I have known and worked with him professionally for the last 15 years. As the lawyer for the Argentia Management Authourity (AMA) for approximately ten years we worked on several files together, including the massive file of negotiating the transfer of all the lands at Argentia from the Government of Canada to the AMA. It involved numerous negotiating meetings, surveys, legal documents, environmental agreements, financial and disclosure documents. We also worked extensively with INCO, as it then was, in its plans to occupy Argentia, again dealing with agreements, leases, environmental agreements and so on. This involved countless meetings with INCO officials.

When I entered politics, I continued to support the AMA by facilitating contacts and opening doors in government for the AMA's proposals. At the time of his death, Ken was pursuing a number of very exciting initiatives for Argentia that could have a significant impact on the area. He also had the attention and support of government on these projects. He had the onerous mandate of marketing Argentia and his dream was to have Argentia develop into an industrial concern. He was totally committed to that task. In all of my deliberations with Ken Browne, I was always impressed with the competence and zeal with which he represented his board. He was always the consummate professional, possessing a great deal of knowledge, as well as an invaluable banking background and business acumen. As a result of his efforts, Argentia is well situated to grow industrially and commercially. His passing is a huge loss to the AMA and indeed to the area. I extend my sincere condolences to his wife, Dianne, his two sons, Kenny and Richard and to his siblings, Eugene and Evelyn, as well as his other family, the AMA board and staff.

Felix Collins

MHA, Placentia-St. Mary’s