No apology from Jack; minister insists COP member was at controversial meeting

Jack Warner made it clear on Monday that he is not apologising for stating in Parliament that former Congress of the People (COP) executive member Vernon De Lima was present at a meeting in St Joseph at which certain people discussed plans to try to destabilise the country.

The National Security Minister told the Express newspaper: "If there are two Vernon De Limas who are attorneys-at-law then I make a mistake with the person, then I would surely apologise.

"But I am not aware that there are two Vernon De Limas who are attorneys-at-law. Until that comes to me I am waiting but I have information that Vernon De Lima, attorney-at-law, was at the meeting".

Warner asked why no one took issue with his reference to "Soldier Barry", one of the other names he called when he made the statement. He charged that that person was an alleged conspirator in a plot to kill the Prime Minister and had served time in prison.

He told the paper, "I know how you guys operate, but at least give some veneer of objectivity. I called other person's names like Soldier Barry. Was he at the meeting?

"Let's say I erred with De Lima, I also called Soldier Barry. Did I err with him...If he was there and De Lima wasn't, fine. Then tell me. I called George Bell, did you call him to ask him who was there?

The Express said it spoke with Bell who said De Lima was not present at the meeting and that the meeting did not discuss any plans fort destabilising the country. The paper also stated that Bell said "Solider Barry" was not at the meeting.

And De Lima told the paper: "I don't know anybody called George Bell, I don't know him at all. I don't know any of the other names the minister called. I look at it as vicious and spiteful. You find two envelopes in your mailbox and then go to the Parliament to make a statement like that?"

Warner said the media should investigate to determine who were the people attending that meeting. "I have all the names," he told the paper. He asked the paper: "Did you call Barry Thomas and ask whether he was there also?"

The minister did have one issue in which he offered an apology. He apologised for calling De Lima a former member of the COP. "I thought he had resigned. If he did not, I apologise for calling him former," he said.

COP Leader Prakash Ramadhar has called on Warner to apologise for his statement about De Lima.

Read the story:

COP wants apology from Jack; would consider all options if it doesn't get it