Jack Warner announced on Thursday night that he is shutting down Ramjack group and the Movement for Change because its members have achieved their goal of getting the United National Congress (UNC) to hold internal election.And he also announced that he has got the party's membership list, which he intends to make available so that everyone can check it. The list contains the names of persons who are members of the UNC and who will be eligible to vote in the January 24, 2010 internal election.
The UNC deputy leader was speaking at a meeting in Spring Village in the St Augustine constituency held by UNC vice chairman Vasant Bharat.
He also reiterated that he is running for the post of chairman of the party but did not endorse his friend and colleague Ramesh L. Maharaj, who is the only candidate so far running for the post of leader against the incumbent, Basdeo Panday.
Maharaj was not at the meeting. He had other commitments and was unable to attend, but he gave the assurance that there is no rift with Warner.
There was speculation that Warner's preferred candidate for the leadership is Kamla Persad-Bissessar, although his position in clear: the members will decide and may the best candidate win.
The Siparia MP has not said if she will run although there is speculation that she will become the second leadership candidate by the end of the week in an unprecedented challenge to Panday. But so far, there is no indication that she will run.
In his speech to UNC supporters Warner said, "Tonight there is unspeakable joy, for we stand assured more than ever before that there is hope for a brighter day; hope for a better tomorrow; the winds of change are blowing away the dark clouds of division and the rising sun is basking in its new glory."
He traced the past twelve months during which he and his colleagues were
"derided as agents of divisiveness" and dubbed as "neemarkharams" for seeking to reform the party.
"The struggle was never personal...(it) had nothing to do with wresting power from those who were legitimately empowered to rule," he said.
"No my brothers and sisters, the struggle was all about getting the party ready and ensuring that it was in good shape to take hold of the reins of power whenever the next general elections are called," he said.
The Chaguanas West MP said the leadership he and his colleagues challenged was demonstrating a crass abuse of power and had failed to present to its membership for twenty years "a single audited financial statement to account for their financial stewardship."
He said Ramjack wanted to build consensus as a national party to give meaningful respect for the minority and dissonant voices within the UNC.
"And so, with you we have struggled and with you we have won. Tonight we stand vindicated. Change is here my friend," he declared.
"Yes we may have quarreled, argued and fought as is expected even among blood related members of a family...We never strayed from our commitment to remain UNC, the home of the rising sun," he said.
Warner spoke about unity, pointing out that division increases the risk of failure and "so tonight like the great Mahatma Gandhi, we are going to be the change that we want that leadership to become".
He said there is no need to continue the Ramjack meetings, talk of Ramjackwin and talk about the Rienzi UNC.
"We need to bring an end to the warring and fighting within the Party for if ever there is a time for us to stand united, it is now," he said.
Warner urged UNC supporters to reject the current leadership and elect a new group of men and women who are committed to creating a better future and returning the UNC to the government.
"This leadership is noted for its arrogance and its autocratic behaviour which election after election has left its supporters in mourning. The time for change has come and the time for change is here," he said.
"You my people must decide whether we are going to re-instate leaders who have lost all political currency with the national community or appoint a leadership based on general consensus which has the ability to attract new voters to catapult the party into government," he said.
"We called for change. Well the power is yours to make it so on January 24. You have a right to vote so exercise it.
"You are being given the opportunity to determine the quality of leadership you will have; don’t shirk from your duty. Change is generally a reflection of institutional growth.
"So take up the challenge and create the change. A vote in favour of this current leadership is the vote to stay in opposition," Warner said.
"Let us win our people with love and attract the non-members with reason that logic cannot debunk. Let us offer the communities hope...wherever you are let us keep our party united and let us all build a stronger nation together," Warner said.
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