By Prior Beharry
FORMER political leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Jack Warner is mum on an accommodation with the United National Congress (UNC) in the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE).
Speaking at the lunch of candidates at Naparima College in San Fernando on Monday, political leader of the UNC Kamla Persad-Bissessar said her party has joined forces with four others on a united front against the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM).
The four parties are the National Transformation Alliance (NTA) which also launched candidates on Monday, the ILP, the Movement for National Development (MND) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Contacted on Thursday on what the accommodation entails, Warner, who had resigned from politics, said he had no comment at this time.
Only the NTA, led by former police commissioner Gary Griffith, has 31 seats in the accommodation with the UNC putting up candidates in the rest – 110. There are 141 seats up for grabs in 14 corporations.
Warner is a former national security minister in the People’s Partnership Government of Persad-Bissessar and was fired in 2013 after allegations were raised about his tenure at the helm of CONCACAF, the regional governing body for football. He was also a vice president of FIFA and is wanted in the US on allegations of corruption. His extradition case is currently before the courts of Trinidad and Tobago.
He formed the ILP after resigning his Chaguans West seat and then won it in a bye-election in 2013.
Warner lost it in the 2015 general elections and has been out of favour with the UNC ever since.
However, in an exclusive interview with AZP News in October last year, he said he would support Persad-Bissessar against Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
Below is an excerpt of the interview with AZP News Editor-in-Chief Prior Beharry:
JW: … But, the worst prime minister this country has ever seen is Keith Rowley. And don’t ask me why. There is nothing good I can say about him and my grandmother told me that if you can’t say good don’t say bad.
Rowley is the worst thing to happen to this country.
And you know what is sad. (Former PNM prime minister Patrick) Manning called me in his home. He and I weren’t good friends. He called me to his home. Prior, I swear to you this morning…
PB: When was that?
JW: A month before he died. He asked to see me. I went to his home. He sent out his wife and children. He had a Bible on his leg and his hand was kind of flicking and so on, turning the pages. He asked me, he begged me never to allow Rowley and (Colm) Imbert rule this country. I told him, ‘yes sir, I agree with you, but why didn’t you stop them in their tracks when you had to go up for election.’ He said if he had done that, there would have been a revolution in the PNM. I said okay sir.
You know something. Three or four months after when Kamla called election, I supported Rowley. I helped Rowley, he could say what he wants, I did.
PB: Why?
JW: Because Kamla had hurt me. She had hurt me passionately and of course the things she said about me in the Chaguanas West bye-election, the things she said about me even after pains me and pains me still. Of course, I don’t care what anybody say, I contributed in making Kamla what she eventually became.
PB: Have you spoken to her since?
JW: No I haven’t.
PB: Would you forgive her?
Yes sure. I was bitter in those days but right now I am not bitter.
PB: Would you support her now against Rowley?
JW: Well actually she is the lesser of the two evils and surely I would. Rowley is bad news…
Click here to read the full interview…
Silence is a virtue and this case JW actions seems to be extremely supported of the UNC since he acknowledged PM Rowley to be the worst PRIME MINISTER TT ever had