Jack to meet with Kamla, Ramesh

Jack Warner said Sunday he still believes that Kamla Persad-Bissessar is "eminently qualified" to lead the United National Congress (UNC) and reaffirmed his conviction that Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj "also has the ability" to lead.

However, he is standing by his position outlined in an email from South Africa Saturday that he wants the membership to make a choice about who is the best person to lead the party.

The Chaguanas West MP said Saturday, "I have always said that I trust the Party membership to make the right decision and I know it will, therefore, may the best person win."

So far only Maharaj has declared that he would run against UNC leader Basdeo Panday.

Persad-Bissessar is under extreme pressure from supporters, friends and advisers to run but she has said she needs some more time to think of it.

There is a groundswell of support for the Siparia MP from her constituents and UNC members in several other areas. Many people outside of the party have also been saying that if she runs she could win the leadership ahead of both Maharaj and Panday.

And they say she has the right profile to unite the opposition and beat the People's National Movement in a general election.

Warner shares the view that Persad-Bissessar is a bright and competent politician who has all the leadership credentials to win an election.

But at the same time he believes that Maharaj too is qualified and has support from the many UNC members who would be making the choice of who they want as their leader when the party votes in internal elections on January 24.

That is why he said on Sunday he wants to meet with both Maharaj and Persad-Bissessar after his return home on Monday. "I propose to meet with both of them later in the week on this...following that, I will make a determination," he said in an email.

Warner and Maharaj are part of the Ramjack alliance that has been clamouring for change in the UNC and for internal election.

The party resisted that for a long time but changed its position and agreed to the election after Prime Minister Patrick Manning postponed the local government election.

The Chaguanas MP sees the holding of the election as a victory for his Movement for Change, and he plans to run for the post of UNC chairman.

Panday has scoffed at Maharaj's entry into the race, calling it "comical". He has also said that if Persad-Bissessar wants to run, she has the right to do so, as does any member of the party who meets the guidelines for contesting a post.