(Trinidad Guardian) Former United National Congress (UNC) chairman Jack Warner has made his return speech to UNC supporters, telling them that he intends to dismantle his political party, the Independent Liberal Party (ILP), to bring his supporters back to the UNC.
Warner received thunderous applause at a political meeting last night held at the Centre of Excellence as he vowed to put his all into the fight against the People’s National Movement (PNM) government while labelling UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar as the “Nelson Mandela of local politics” for her vision of unity. He told supporters that, given the reception he received, he was wondering why he wasn’t back with them before.
“Tonight, I am here by choice. We come together to fight the common enemy. Nothing is gained by division. This country is heading down into an abyss quickly, and our collective efforts must be brought together to save this country,” Warner said.
Warner had stepped down as the UNC chairman and member of Parliament for Chaguanas West in 2013 and fought a bitter battle against the UNC with his ILP party.
He and UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar traded vicious criticism over the last 10 years until they united at a Carnival event in February this year.
However, on Monday night, he reminded the crowd of what South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela experienced during 27 years in prison, only to become president of the country and seek to unite whites and blacks.
He said the reason for that was because Mandela said, “love and unity must heal my country.”
“And tonight…I say Kamla Persad-Bussessar is the Mandela of local politics, and that’s why I am here.”
“Many persons have asked me why I’m coming to this meeting (saying), ‘But Jack Warner, you mad, you and Kamla again, and a whole amount of garbage. But those are the very same people who would spend day and night criticising (Prime Minister Dr Keith) Rowley and the PNM but would stay on the fence and do nothing about it. I am here to do something about it,” he said.
Dressed in a yellow shirt, Warner said he didn’t want to go to the meeting with a shirt marked ‘UNC” until he had earned the right to do so.
He added, “And I will tell you this because I am aware that there are some persons who will be in a party at 8 am and be embraced by the prime minister at noon. Others will see a cheque for $150,000 and will leave just so. I will come and work with UNC and NTA (National Transformation Alliance) and earn my dues.”
“When I earn my dues, I will convene a meeting with the ILP and disband it. The ILP has to be formally reintegrated with the UNC. We are one family, one family, one family,” Warner said.
Warner, who is currently battling extradition proceedings in court as he’s facing prosecution in the United States on money laundering and wire-transfer charges linked to his tenure as vice-president of the world governing football body, FIFA, told supporters that the youngest and brightest “are leaving the country, unemployment is high and crime is a runaway”.
“And I ask myself, what can we do to solve it?”
He told supporters that they have among them, the best Commissioner of Police cop this country has ever seen in NTA political leader Gary Griffith.
He added, “We have among us the best minister of works and transport this country has ever seen,” as he pointed to himself.
He also pointed to himself as he told supporters that they also had among them the best national security minister this country has ever seen.
“And with Gary and myself and the best prime minister this country has ever seen, you have no cause for fear, and that is why on August the 14th I’m asking you to come out in your numbers. Don’t tote, vote!”
Speaking after Warner, Persad-Bissessar offered him the UNC badge saying he had already earned it.
Extradition proceedings against Warner are currently stayed at the Magistrates’ Court after Warner, in late June, was successful in his latest legal challenge against the extradition by having the court refer several questions raised by him regarding his constitutional rights sent to the High Court for determination.
In November of last year, the Privy Council in London, England, cleared the way for the extradition proceedings to resume before Chief Magistrate Maria Busby-Earle-Caddle at the Port of Spain Court.
But with him being successful in his application, the resumption of the proceedings will be prolonged until at least the High Court makes its determination.
