Jack hits the road as UNC gets set for National Assembly

United National Congress (UNC) deputy leader Jack Warner is taking Saturday off to walk among his constituents in Chaguanas West to mark his second anniversary of being elected as their Parliamentary Representative and also to discuss issues that concern them. And on Sunday he will do the same in Couva North, the constituency that UNC leader Basdeo Panday has represented since entering the House of Representatives in 1976. In an interview with JYOTI, Warner confirmed that because of his Couva North walkabout he won't attend the assembly but he said he is trying to get a group to represent his Movement for Change "to raise concerns about the January 24th Elections." The meeting is expected to confirm the internal vote. Panday told UNC supporters earlier this week that he will run for the leadership and will field a fuill slate of candidates. So far no one has challenged him, but there is a strong lobby inside and outside the party for deputy leader and Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar to run against Panday. Warner has said he is interested in running for the chairmanship and would support Persad-Bissessar if she decides to run. Asked about why he is not attending the meeting Warner explained that it's a matter of his stand on the party's membership list. "I have said from day one that the Party's membership list is bogus and since it is on the basis of that list that the Assembly has been composed then the Assembly is improperly constituted," he said. He insisted that he is not accepting any list that he cannot verify. Commenting on plans to register new members he said this effort is being frustrated by UNC officials at the party's Reinzi headquarters. "We cannot get registration forms from Rienzi, this matter has been raised several times with the General Secretary, as late as Wednesday but with no results." He added, "We have submitted membership forms several months ago for Chaguanas West and they haven't been approved to date. Wade Mark has blocked all applications coming from sources other than whom they know and trust." Warner said his plan for a membership drive across the country is on hold. "We had a massive drive in place and several meetings were already held by the regional coordinators, but because we are denied membership forms we are at a standstill at this point." Despite all this he is still considering running for UNC leader. He said a core group of planners met on Wednesday "and we will be submitting a list of candidates". He said his colleague, Tabaquite MP Ramesh L. Maharaj, is out of the country and since "we are also awaiting his input" a final decision will be made when he returns to Trinidad.