Jack complains of bogus UNC membership lists

Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner has written the acting general secretary of the United National Congress (UNC) pointing out that a list of financial members of the party sent to him on August 24, 2009 is inaccurate.

In a letter to Glenn Ramadharsingh dated September 3, 2009 the UNC Deputy Political Leader pointed out that since 2005 the party has automatically renewed financial memberships each year without ratification by the National Congress.

He said under these circumstances the list has no constitutional validity because the automatic renewal of members results in a false and misleading list which is artificially inflated to include ineligible persons, including:

• Members who no longer wish to be members of the UNC
• Members who since the expiration of the membership in 2005, have since taken membership in other political parties which is contrary to the Constitution of the party
• Members who no longer reside in Trinidad
• Members who are now deceased

Warner told the party when such a bogus list is used the number of delegates sent to the National Congress would be inaccurate and any resolutions passed by the Congress would be open to challenge as being unconstitutional.

In addition he is demanding that the party provide him "as a matter of urgency" the current list of the UNC's financial members so that he can verify that the members listed "have duly paid their annual membership fees, or who have indicated their desire to have their membership automatically renewed."

He has also urged the party to suspend any future National Congress until the list of financial members is thoroughly reviewed and legitimized.

"Any attempt to hold such a Congress with the current outdated and inaccurate list would be void," Warner noted, adding that he reserves his legal right "to institute legal proceedings to address this illegality."