A report in Thursday's Trinidad Express says several high-ranking members of the United National Congress (UNC) are pleading with deputy leader Jack Warner not to sue the party's leader, Basdeo Panday.And the paper says Warner has agreed to consider putting the matter on hold. "They believe that a lawsuit would generally damage the party, but would really damage Panday personally," Warner told the paper.
Warner said two senior parliamentarians and a top executive member are among those who have appealed to him to halt the legal action.
"They do not believe that it would be in the interest of either the party, Mr Panday and some ways even me, because at the end of the day, in this kind of situation nobody is a winner. We are all losers and that is what is guiding their actions," Warner said.
Warner has hired a powerful legal team headed by Panday's former lawyer, British QC Allan Newman, to deal with the matter. His legal advisers include Ramesh L. Maharaj and Anand Ramlogan who were bitter rivals as candidates for opposing parties in the 2007 general election.
The action stems from a statement Panday made on radio in reference to Warner's $309,000 bailout cheque to the Chgauanas Borough Corporation to keep 54 contract workers employed until the end of September.
Panday said Warner should be more open about the source of the funds and suggested that the money might even be from drug dealers who want to control the borough. Warner called it the "lowest of lows" and announced last Friday that he would seek legal redress.
Now, top UNC personnel are suggesting a truce. Warner said the party jefes are asking him to find "some mechanism whereby this thing could be resolved, and I have told them that I would consider it."
He could consider putting the matter on hold for a while without prejudice to his right to take action in the future.
The Chaguanas West MP will meet with his attorneys Thursday to discuss the latest developments and make a final decision.
He has said in the the past and again in talking with the Express that taking Panday to court does not give him any pleasure. He told this blog he genuinely loves Panday but believes his leader is misguided and has lost the sense of caring that made him a great man.
"Mr Panday had done a lot for the country, but I maintain that he has overstayed his time. I have no intention of doing anything to destroy his legacy. But I was offended over what he said. I remain open," he told the paper.
If Warner proceeds with the case and wins, Panday could lose his parliamentary seat and be fired as opposition leader. Warner saved Panday that embarrassment two years ago when he paid the outstanding fine Panday was owing in the Ken Gordon libel suit.
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