Nobody can beat me; Kamla will win by a landslide: Warner

Jack Warner is convinced that nobody can beat him for the chairmanship of the United national Congress (UNC) and he also believes that leadership candidate Kamla Persad-Bissessar can win by a landslide.

But the Chaguanas West MP said Thursday such results will only come if the party's internal elections on January 24 are free and fair.

Warner told reporters he has some reservations and questions about the membership list, which will be used for the internal vote.

"I still have some reservations. For me, the jury is still out and until I get certain answers, to some questions that I have asked, I would not be satisfied," he said.

He said the integrity of the list will also determine how the Siparia MP fares at the polls. Warner, who has endorsed Persad-Bissessar instead of his former Ramjack colleague Ramesh L. Maharaj, said Persad-Bissessar will win in a fair poll.

"If it is free and fair, Kamla will win by a landslide, if it is free and fair...but it has to be free and fair. Same for me, if it is free and fair, I do not know who could fight me there to become Chairman, if it is free and fair," he said.

Warner also spoke about two other national issues: the state of the economy and the police handling of dissent.

On the announcement of the dramatic drop in inflation from more than 14 per cent to 1.5 per cent in one year, the UNC deputy leader said that sounds like a fable.

Read the story: T&T Central Bank says inflation at record low of 1.5%

"The Central Bank is reaching the stage where people will treat the Bank disclosures as they treat Mr. Manning...they don't believe them because the Central Bank is now an arm of the State and therefore it has lost its credibility," he said.

Warner also expressed concern about the police handling of the People's Democracy march in Port of Spain a week ago. There was a confrontation between police and demonstrators who were protesting outside the Red House during the debate on the property tax bills.

Police beat some people with batons and arrested People's Democracy leader David Abdullah and charged him with obstruction. That case will be heard next month.

Warner said he is concerned with the about face by acting police commissioner James Philbert.

"How could the Commissioner of Police, after that incident say it was unfortunate and he apologised. And then a week after, no doubt when he was spoken to by a higher authorities, he said the police were most generous," he wondered.

Read the story: It's not over; DPP to get file on Red House demonstration

And he asked, "So how in seven days we can get two conflicting statements...It is a sign of things to come. This country is a paramilitary country. If a peaceful demonstration could have been dealt with in that fashion, what will happen when it is more aggressive?"