Jack dismisses Panday's "cheap publicity"

UNC Chairman Jack Warner has responded to Basdeo Panday's statement Thursday in which the former UNC leader said he won't sit on the front bench of the opposition with Warner and urged the political leader to dismiss Warner as Chief Whip.

Read the story: Panday will work with Kamla, won't sit on front bench with Jack

In an official statement Friday Warner called Panday's remarks a side show which is part of the "disturbing final convulsions of self-inflicted political death" adding that Panday's rantings are irrelevant and serve only to contribute to "the self-destruction of his once illustrious political career."

He added, "What you can unfortunately expect to witness from those who cannot accept the positive changes within the UNC and the politics of the country are these disturbing final convulsions of self-inflicted political death caused by their own resistance to the life giving changes that are so necessary.

"The political side shows...serve no other purpose other than to entertain the ruling party but the population at large is too preoccupied with the urgent need to do what is right and necessary to change the course of events in Trinidad and Tobago."

Warner called Panday's remarks "shameful and ill-timed", adding that "we can no longer allow ourselves to be drawn into such useless conflict especially when so much is at stake."

The UNC chairman declared, "The political baton has been passed, history now records Ms Kamla Persad-Bissessar as the nation's first female Opposition Leader. It will soon also record her as the nation's first female Prime Minister. This is the only matter of importance to me now."

Warner said the population at large is too preoccupied "with the urgent need to do what is right and necessary to change the course of events in Trinidad and Tobago".

He adeed, "I have no intention of aiding and abetting Mr Panday, or anyone else for that matter,directly or indirectly, in their quest for cheap publicity so as to deliberately attempt to change the course of this new political era."