Trinidad Politics: Jack Warner hints at political comeback

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Jack Warner hints at political comeback

FORMER government minister Jack Warner is not ruling out a political comeback at age 75. He hinted at this possibility while commenting on Mickela Panday’s new party. Panday received consensus to form the party at a meeting on Sunday at Gaston Court, Chaguanas. On her Facebook page, Panday thanked people for attending the meeting. She said, “Look out for us in your area soon.”

Citing several older politicians, like Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi, who are returning to the fold, Warner said there was no reason why he could not do the same. “Who knows what the future holds?”

Warner did not know whether Panday’s move to launch a new party was “the correct idea.” He said, “The more splintered we are, the better for the PNM (People’s National Movement).”

However Warner conceded the now defunct People’s Partnership coalition was a failure and people do not want to be reminded of that. The former United National Congress (UNC) chairman also said the UNC is not as formidable as it once was. Warner said the UNC is carrying “a lot of dead weight” in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

With TT “tottering on the precipice”, Warner said there must be a “meeting of the minds” amongst the smaller parties. He suggested a mechanism for all these parties to retain their individuality but unite under one banner against the PNM.

Warner identified pride as the major obstacle to this happening. “Pride is what is killing us.” UNC MP Dr Fuad Khan agreed with Warner. Khan said parties which normally oppose the PNM, “are working really hard to keep the PNM in office.”

Khan claimed there are some people who pretend to assist opposition parties but actually make sure, “they keep the opposition divided.”

Photo: Jack Warner