In a brief address, Warner said, "A country such as ours deserves a tabloid that celebrates our diversity, valorizes our success and promotes our people. The Sunshine, my friends, is designed to inform, educate and entertain."
He said one of the greatest challenges in journalism today is creating a product that is marketable and be "so attractive that there will be a craving desire for the next edition".
He was critical of some of the local media. "I have seen the demise in local journalism as media houses succumb to the great temptation of sensationalism at the expense of truth, accuracy, fairness and balance to guarantee marketability.
"Journalism, my friends, must never be the vehicle for profitable decadence and the ruination of personalities; rather it should be about serving our societies with vital information and values necessary to save and improve them. It is in this regard, the Sunshine Newspaper will be different," the former cabinet minister stated.
He explained the rationale for the the newspaper saying he expects it would become "the voice for the people and of the people". He said the paper would deal with issues that are relevant to the entire society, including the marginalised and those who live in rural Trinidad and Tobago. "The Sunshine Newspaper must be relevant to the demographics of Trinidad and Tobago," he said.
"This approach is deliberate because for too long many of us have observed the dangers of partisan journalism...
"The Sunshine Newspaper is designed with a conscience to recognize that while circulation statistics and healthy sales are critical to the life of any newspaper, more important to us is the protection of people’s lives and character and the pursuit to ensure that lives are not unfairly destroyed and ruined," he said.
He promised that the paper would not compromise the integrity of journalism and truth would guide the paper, which he said would be "committed to truth and accuracy; fairness and balance, for these are the pillars which will continue to be foundational to our values."
Warner said his paper would also celebrate Trinidad and Tobago's heroes and champions who carry the brand of Trinidad and Tobago with dignity and pride. "The Sunshine Newspaper will valorize our innovators and nation builders, the people upon whose shoulders the nation of Trinidad and Tobago now stands."
The Sunshine Newspaper will provide commentary that is social, political and cultural; will contain news that will reflect the understanding of global situations; will offer information that is educational and relevant for growth among our people; will be uplifting and motivational, will contain humour and satire and will provide easy and light reading but from a position of hard facts, honesty and sympathy," the former Chaguanas West MP said.
He urged everyone to support the Sunshine, which he said would become the platform from which the nation can speak authoritatively "and proclaim our own stories, values and interests as we seek to cultivate a posterity of which we can be proud."
He said, "Our ultimate goal is to grow this little Sunshine seed into a formidable light that illuminates our Caribbean region. Today, however, we start with one small step that one day will be seen as a giant leap for all Caribbean kind."
He urged people to open their hearts and minds to the Sunshine and make it compulsory reading in homes and schools. "Together let us never betray the truth," he said.
He thanked all those who contributed to the creation of the Sunshine, which will hit the streets next Friday to coincide with the third anniversary of the People's Partnership victory in the historic general election of 2010.
Some of the key people behind the paper are Anthony “Lexo” Alexis, Azad Ali, and Peter Balroop.
Some of the key people behind the paper are Anthony “Lexo” Alexis, Azad Ali, and Peter Balroop.
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