UNC invites Jack for screening Tuesday for CWC election

The United National Congress (UNC) has invited Jack Warner to appear before its screening committee on Tuesday at 7:40 pm at the party's headquarters at the Rienzi Complex.

Warner confirmed in a media release Monday that he would appear for screening as scheduled.

The UNC has told JYOTI that it will begin screening candidates on Tuesday for the July 29th byelection in the Chaguanas West constituency (CWC). The party closed its nominations last Friday. 

A party official confirmed to JYOTI that Political Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar would be a member of the committee.

The seat became vacant when Jack Warner resigned as the MP. He was first elected to represent the constituency in the 2007 general election and was re-elected in 2010.

Warner is among several members of the UNC seeking the nomination and has said he is optimistic that he would get the nomination. He has been actively campaigning since April. 

A pandit and former UNC MP Manohar Ramsaran are also seeking the nomination for the party. Ramsaran was defeated by Warner in the 2007 election when he fought the seat as a member of the Congress of the People (COP). He says he is seeking the nomination as a member of the People's Partnership.

Warner, who is the former UNC chairman and a former senior cabinet minister, has not stated what he would do if the party doesn't nominate him. He could run as an independent, in which case he would be in a political fight against a member of his own party. That would violate the UNC's rules and could lead to his expulsion from the party.

Persad-Bissessar has said everyone who sent in nominations would be treated the same and she has made it clear that the party would follow the established rules as defined in the UNC constitution.

The PNM has already nominated its candidate. He is Avinash Singh, a 24-year-old agriculturalist and businessman from Felicity.

The UNC is holding is weekly forum on Monday night at the Munroe Road Hindu School in the Chaguanas West constituency. The meeting starts at 7:00 Persad-Bissessar is the principal speaker.