Jack puts party first, halts slander proceedings against Bas

Jack Warner decided Thursday to put the interests of his party first and hold off taking legal action against United National Congress (UNC) leader, Basdeo Panday.

The UNC deputy leader and MP for Chaguanas West made the decision after extensive consultations with his legal team, which includes British QC Alan Newman.

The consultations were on three specific issues:

• Legal proceedings against Panday for libel in respect of the alleged defamatory statements Panday made about Warner
• The "unlawful and illegal decisions" of the UNC's National Executive to refer the three MPs to the Disciplinary Committee of the Party
• The threatened action by the National Executive to institute disciplinary action against two councilors of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation

In a media release Thursday Warner said on the two other issues the advice of his legal team fortifies the public position he has taken on these matters.

The most critical issue was the proposed legal action against Panday for a statement Panday made on radio suggesting that the $309,000 bailout Warner gave the Chaguanas Borough corporation might have a drug connection.

Warner said several top UNC members had been in touch with him for him to hold his hands on the legal action against Panday. They include MPs Tim Gopeesingh and Chandresh Sharma, and UNC General Secretary, Fazal Karim, who all sit on the National Executive

Warner said based on the pleas from such high-ranking UNC members and despite his legal right and option to proceed with legal action, he has put the interest of the party first and decided not to go ahead with the lawsuit.

"I have given serious consideration to the numerous pleas made to me by members of the Party. Since I have always put the interests of the membership of the Party and the Party first in my actions, I have decided to hold my hands and not to proceed to commence the action for libel against Mr. Panday, but without prejudice to my future legal rights in respect of this matter," the Chaguanas West MP said.

He added, "I am not interested in getting personal gain at the expense of the Party and I have always dedicated my time and every resource which I possess to the Party.

"In coming to this decision, I have also considered that I shall not be distracted from effecting change within the Party. This change is mandatory if the Party is to win the General Elections.

"Based on the actions of the Prime Minister and his Party this country needs to be rescued from the current Government," he said.

Warner said with respect of the other issues relating to the action of the National Executive against the three MPs - including himself - and the threatened action against two councillors, he has instructed his team of lawyers "to take the necessary steps to use the law to protect the membership and interests of the Party."

He said he has a duty "to ensure that the pristine glory of the Party is restored and this can only be achieved if early internal elections of the Party are fixed and they are conducted in a free and fair manner."

Warner added, "This change in the Party is essential if the Party is to be the political vehicle to unite the country to win the next General Elections."