One day after Basdeo Panday launched his bid for reelection as leader of the United National Congress (UNC) Jack Warner kicked off his campaign for the office of UNC chairman in the party's internal election on January 24.And he promised that his mission as chairman will be to ensure that the Party is properly prepared, equipped and able, "and amenable to the mobilisation of a united force so powerful, we will create a tsunami that will sweep Patrick Manning and his regime out of the office they have been dishonouring and misusing since December 24, 2001."
He said now is the time for members to change because the existing leadership won't take the UNC back to government.
"The country is once more witnessing the spectacle of the UNC leadership engaging in actions that continue to bring the UNC into public ridicule and disrepute," he said, adding that certain top members are deceiving people by misrepresenting the support for the leader.
He also complained about "glaring irregularities" in the planning process for the vote.
Warner noted that the UNC faces an uphill struggle to reform itself but urged members not to abandon hope.
He pointed out that the fact that the elections are being held means that the initial purpose of the Movement for Change has been achieved and he called on UNC members to elect a chairman and an executive that will give the party another chance to be in government again.
"Your presence here tonight is strong affirmation that there is a need for change in the leadership of our Party," he said noting that "our current position in the public perception does not reflect our full potential."
He pointed to the successive defeats of the party in general elections in 2002 and 2007. He also said the UNC's record of transparency and accountability is nothing short of dismal.
"The absence of audited financial statements for some 20 years starkly underlines this reality," he pointed out.
And he knocked the current leadership for not having a clearly defined strategic plan to take the UNC into government.
"There is too much infighting; too much name-calling," he said accusing the leadership of becoming "autocratic, even despotic" with little regard for the will of its supporters.
The Chaguanas West MP said his decision to contest the post of party chairman was not by a casual one but rather one "driven by the need to serve you...I want to serve you more; I want to serve our Party more; I want to serve our country more. This is my motivation," he said.
"If elected Chairman of the UNC, I pledge to offer you leadership that holds no acrimony against anyone. As Chairman, I will deliver to, you the people, a Party united and of one accord. I pledge to bring harmony, not discord; cohesion, not conflict; peace not war; and victory, not defeat," he said.
"The purpose of this campaign is to prepare this party for governance, which I believe, is the destiny of a truly united UNC."
He spoke of his political relationship with Winston Dookeran in the last internal election, explaining that "when I saw that the victory was tearing the Party apart, I offered my support to the then Chairman, Basdeo Panday and requested of Dookeran to do the same to keep the Party united."
And he noted that when the party seemed to be drifting away from its moorings, "my Parliamentary colleagues, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and Winston “Gypsy” Peters, joined forces with several others and me to agitate in the Movement for Change to return the Party to you the supporters."
Warner also openly pledged support for leadership candidate Kamla Persad Bissessar and explained why he is not running a slate of candidates.
"I have chosen to support Sister Kamla because I believe and I am convinced that at this time she is the person best qualified to keep the Party together...All three have varying strengths in Leadership, all three have different styles, but only one has the ability to truly unite this Party and restore hope to a hopeless nation.
"In this regard, I have no problems in publicly declaring my support for Sister Kamla," he said.
He said he chose to run alone with a slate because that creating a team within the party creates divisiveness and "cliqueism". He pledged to work "with anyone and everyone for the good of the Party and to keep the Party united."
He also explained why he does not support Panday. "My support for Mr. Panday contains a memory of Prime Minister Panday shockingly agreeing to invite President ANR Robinson to appoint a Prime Minister after the 18 – 18 tie.
"The UNC had won 49.9% of the votes cast in the elections of December 10, 2001; while the PNM had won only 46.5% of the votes. 278,781 persons voted for the UNC; 19,331 more persons than those who voted for the PNM," he said.
Warner said ever since that moment, "this nation has experienced untold and unprecedented hardships. He outlined some of what he said are the consequences of Prime Minister Panday's surrender of the legitimate UNC government to Patrick Manning:
- The loss of our country to "Community Leaders", among who were a number of well-known gang leaders
- The handover of the treasury to Calder Hart and other favoured foreigners - notably Chinese - at the expense of local talent, local labour and local entrepreneurs
- The start of an unparalleled saga of PNM extravagance, misgovernance, intimidation and victimisation.
"When I examine the facts of Mr. Panday’s declining leadership and political acumen, it is not because I love Basdeo Panday less. It is because I love the UNC more. And it is because I love T&T most. That is why I urge you to let Basdeo Panday go in peace.
"If you love Bas, please do not sentence him to another defeat at the hands of Patrick Manning...Let Basdeo Panday’s illustrious and colourful political career end in pride, not in another humiliating defeat at the hands of Manning," he said.
"The history of this extraordinary political figure should not end in certain defeat within the Party. Worse yet, should it end in another defeat at the hands of Patrick Manning as the Lion Tamer," Warner said.
He urged UNC members to go the voting booth on January 24 and give the Party the leadership that will give the UNC another chance to be in government.
"If the UNC is to fulfill its mission, there is only one way. That is by serving the urgent needs and solving the pressing problems of members and supporters; as a political Party and as a Party in Government.
He said as chairman he would encourage honest differences of views because I believe that honest debate among members of the Party leadership, instead of demagoguery and subterfuge, promotes the interest of the UNC.
(See Warner's pledges in story below)
He urged everyone to share his message of love and unity to all. "Tell your neighbour that change has come; change of attitude; change in the way we care; change that will unite us; and change that will take us back to government.
"Tell them the time for Change is NOW," he said adding that "when it comes to the position of Chairman, in your heart, you know that Jack Warner is the man. That is really your only option."
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