Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday night appealed to voters to support the People's Partnership in the Local Government Election (LGE) and stated that a vote for the new Independent Liberal Party (ILP) would benefit the opposition People's National Movement (PNM).
“Third parties always help the PNM. It did during the ONR time, it did so during the time when the Team Unity fought the UNC and again when COP and UNC fought separately and, it has the dangerous potential of doing so now,” she said.
She devoted much of her address to the ILP and its leader Jack Warner and there might have even been a subtle hint to Warner that she doesn't see him as an enemy.
She said the people who vote for ILP would never want the PNM. "So who is the ILP hurting?” she asked.
"We must not split the vote. We must stay together. We have said time and again, if and when Warner can clear his name there is a space for him, but principles must trump politics, right must be always better than wrong, good governance must rise above good politics," Persad-Bissessar stated.
"For me, it was a painful moment on a personal level. But what was one to do but accept the resignation offered? I didn’t do so as the head of my household, I didn’t do so as the leader of my party, I did so as the leader of this country in the interest of the country,” she explained.
She said she still looks forward to the day when he could clear his name of all allegations against him.
She was speaking at Harris Promenade at the launch of the partnership's campaign for the October 21 election. The partnership is sharing the 14 districts among its three Trinidad partners - the United National Congress (UNC), the Congress of the People (COP) and the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC).
Persad-Bissessar, speaking as leader of the UNC as well as the Partnership said vote splitting is a dangerous thing and would benefit the PNM.
She said the message is clear in the three-way race - a vote for the ILP is a vote for the PNM.
“Third parties always help the PNM. It did during the ONR time, it did so during the time when the Team Unity fought the UNC and again when COP and UNC fought separately and, it has the dangerous potential of doing so now,” she said.
She devoted much of her address to the ILP and its leader Jack Warner and there might have even been a subtle hint to Warner that she doesn't see him as an enemy.
"The only enemny we have is the PNM," she declared.
She said the people who vote for ILP would never want the PNM. "So who is the ILP hurting?” she asked.
"We must not split the vote. We must stay together. We have said time and again, if and when Warner can clear his name there is a space for him, but principles must trump politics, right must be always better than wrong, good governance must rise above good politics," Persad-Bissessar stated.
And she reminded her audeince that seeing Warner leave her cabinet and party was not a pleasant experience.
"For me, it was a painful moment on a personal level. But what was one to do but accept the resignation offered? I didn’t do so as the head of my household, I didn’t do so as the leader of my party, I did so as the leader of this country in the interest of the country,” she explained.
She said she still looks forward to the day when he could clear his name of all allegations against him.
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