Warner admits all is not well in PP, dismisses Rowley's attacks as "foolishness"

Jack Warner told reporters Wednesday there is some “unexpected intrigue, infighting and backbiting” within the five-member People's partnership coalition that has formed the government of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Works and Transport minister is also the chairman of the United National Congress (UNC), which is led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Warner made the statements to reporters accompanying him on a tour in Princes Town with the MP for the constituency, Nela Khan.

However he said he is not frustrated or bothered by the developments within the partnership. “After four months, I expected most of this. Nothing here has really fazed me. What I did not expect was the kind of intrigue and infighting and backbiting and so on. I did not expect that,” he said.

The FIFA chairman admitted that he expected to have some difficulty making the adjustment from private sector to working at the cabinet level in government, noting that in public life "there is a different culture, actually, from the one I have been used to in Fifa and Concacaf, where I come from.”

He added, “So I have no problems with that. What I have a problem with is a lack of the collegial effort, where you have work to do and where you have colleagues who you believe should be able to work as a team and that is not happening."

However, he said he did not think there is a crisis. “I tell you this, that too will pass away,” he said.

Reporters asked Warner to respond to rantings of Opposition leader Keith Rowley, who has described Warner as being "out of control" and has urged the Prime Minister to "reign in" Warner.

“I have no intention of dignifying Mr Rowley’s piece of foolishness. Mr Rowley is clutching at straws and if he believes he can use that to revive his dying political career, I have news for him. He can use anything else but not Jack Warner.”