By LAUREL V WILLIAMS Tuesday, August 11 2009

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THANK YOU, JACK: Beverly Augustine, one of the 54 contract workers from the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, hugs Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner after he...

CHAGUANAS West MP Jack Warner is many things to many people. But for the 54 contract workers of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, who were sent home recently after the corporation ran out of money to pay them, he is nothing short of a fairy godfather.

“Thank you Jesus! Thank you Jack! Now I can go to bed tonight and rest easy,” contract worker Beverly Augustine, a cleaner, shouted when Warner announced during a press conference yesterday that he would spend $309,000 of his own money, to pay the salary of the 54 workers to cover the period August 1 to September 31.

This gives the corporation and the Local Government Ministry a month to come up with ways and means of providing more stable employment to these 54 workers.

Warner, who is also FIFA vice-president, said the corporation has already received the money and it was now up to Mayor Natasha Navas and her staff to find a mechanism to disburse the money to the workers.

“I have done the first part and found the money. It will ensure that for the period August 1 to September 31, these workers are gainfully employed.

No private person can pay public workers so the money was given to the corporation. They now have to find a mechanism to pay the workers,” Warner said.

Warner’s $309,000 gesture comes in the wake of UNC Political Leader Basdeo Panday’s call for him to use part of the $30 million he allegedly received to be used to fund the 2007 General Election.

This $30 million plus Warner’s decision to vote with the Government on bills brought before the House of Representatives, has landed him in hot water with the UNC hierarchy who has deemed him a renegade MP. He faces the possibility later this week, of being referred to the party’s disciplinary committee as a first step towards punishment that could include expulsion from the party.

Last week, Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and Mayaro MP Winston “Gypsy” Peters, who are open supporters of Warner and who make up the so-called “RamJackG” faction of the UNC, were sent to the party’s disciplinary committee.

Asked where he found the money to assist the workers, Warner said: “Do not worry where the money came from, but rather where it is going. It is to help single mothers look after their families. They can go home and tell their loved ones that there will be food on the table. People are in need and we have to help them.”

Asked to comment about Panday’s call for him to spend part of the $30 million election money, Warner said: “I tell you it is going to be a long hot day come Friday. These Pandays are saying all sorts of things. I will give my reply then. The “RamJackG” faction will hold a public meeting this Friday in the Couva North constituency held by Panday.

Speaking on the issue of Navas’ request for certain perks such as a driver and a cellular phone, Warner said these requests were “nothing new”. Warner also claimed that certain officials in the corporation were doing all they can to frustrate Navas.

“My driver’s office is better than hers.

Some mayors had two drivers. We never had a mayor who met a bare office. The air condition is bad. How could we treat a mayor like that. Even the telephone was not working,” Warner said.

Jumping to Mayor Navas’ defence was PNM councillor Bernard Bailey who said Mayor Navas should be allowed the things she requested in the execution of her duties.

“How can we treat our Mayor like that when we talk about city status for Chaguanas? Her office is a virtual sweatbox,” Bailey said.