Kamla says Warner made Whip because of popular support among UNC members

Kamla Persad-Bissessar completed her "thank you" tour Sunday with a motorcade that snaked through many parts of central Trinidad. And on Monday afternoon she will launch the mass membership drive of the United National Congress (UNC).

Throughout the day she was haunted by her decision to appoint the new UNC Chairman Jack Warner as the party's Chief Whip in the House of Representatives.

Some MPs have been critical of the decision and said it was done without consultation. By the UNC leader told local media that is not the case, noting that the membership sent a clear signal of trust in Warner..

She said the "rumblings" in the party would subside, noting that the issue appears to be gaining prominence because of the media attention.

"Well you have got approval and disapproval. Disapprovals are being highlighted because that creates news. But a lot of people have approved it. Mr. Warner out of the MPs in the Parliament....the Whip must come from the MPs, Mr. Warner secured the second highest number of votes amongst the MPs. So it is a reflection of the mandate of the people that they put their confidence in him," she said on national television.

She also spoke of the reception she had been getting from the rank and file membership, noting that there has been tremendous love, support and encouragement.

"It has been a week of so much change in a sense, the move is there, the focus is there, people are very concerned they want to get into Government. That was our message. The people bought into that message and that was our focus."

Persad-Bissessar also thanked Prime Minister Patrick Manning for his congratulatory remarks in Parliament on Friday.

She also said the party would immediately begin work on Local Government Elections, which are due later this year. The membership drive coincides with the reopening of nominations for the election.