Jack to endorse Kamla?

Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner will announce Wednesday if he will support any of the three candidates running for the leadership of the United National Congress (UNC). He will make his statement in a media release from Abu Dhabi at 3:00 p.m. Trinidad time.

There is speculation that he would endorse Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whom he has described as eminently qualified for the position.When she announced on Saturday that she is seeking the leadership, Warner said her entry into the race would have "a profound and positive impact on this country in ways that we can’t imagine at this point."

Warner added, "What Kamla has done by her decision to fight for the leadership of the UNC is bring women within the pale of the political paradigm. She has changed the political paradigm and given women their political space. She has given space to women from the rural areas. I commend the lady highly for her guts and her commitment to country."

Read the story: Jack applauds Kamla, praises her for guts and commitment

His constituents and some key advisers have said he must make a clear choice since his former Ramjack colleague is also running for the post. So far, he has only said that both Maharaj and Persad-Bissessar are qualified for the job and said the UNC members will decide. "May the best person win", he said.

But persad-Bissessar has hit the ground running since her weekend announcement and on Monday night she attracted an enthusiastic crowd of about 1200 in Chase Villaghe in what one person described as a "general election" rally.

Warner's constituents have been asking him for guidance in the matter. He has insisted that he has no deal with anyone and Persad-Bissessar also made that clear when she spoke in Chase Village Monday night.

“I am not for rent or sale...I am in charge and I am fully capable of running my campaign and very soon of running this country,” she said.

“Kamla would not be easily wrapped around the hands of others nor would I become anybody’s ‘political dullahin’,” she declared. However she did not rule out constructive assistance from anyone who has ideas about how to reform the party and take back the government.

The key to victory or defeat in the January 24, 2010 vote is the number of UNC members who are registered to vote.

The deadline for registrations in on Friday. Many supporters have alleged that they are facing an uphill struggle to get forms and complete the registration process. Warner has started a campaign to aggressively get people registered using an old list of UNC members to contact everyone to verify eligibility for the vote.

Both UNC leader Basdeo Panday and Maharaj are confident that they will win. Maharaj is continuing his campaign on then ground but Panday has suspended his activities until after Christmas.

Warner is prepared to accept the verdict of the members and remains confident that "the electorate will choose the best person for political leader, and I have no doubt I will be the choice...I will leave it in the hands of the people and give guidance on the issues of the election and the track record of the candidates," he said."