Monday, August 31 2009

CHAGUANAS West MP Jack Warner yesterday described political talk from his UNC colleagues that he will be expelled from the party as “inconsequential”. At a meeting at the UNC’s Couva South constituency office last Thursday, Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh hinted that Warner, Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj and Mayaro MP Winston “Gypsy” Peters will be expelled from the party.

Warner, Maharaj and Peters have been referred to the UNC’s disciplinary committee for publicly calling for change in the party and voting with the Government on some bills in the current parliamentary session. Gopeesingh challenged the trio to resign their seats and face by-elections in their respective constituencies. He claimed Warner was misleading the public into believing senior UNC members begged him (Warner) not to sue Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday.

Opposition senator Wade Mark and Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath also criticised the renegade UNC MPs.

However, Warner told Newsday he was not bothered in the least by their statements.

“That is so inconsequential. I have moved to a different level,” he said.

In a statement on August 20, Warner said he would not proceed with suing Panday for libel but reserved his right to pursue that matter at a later time. However Warner said he would sue the UNC national executive at “the appropriate time” regarding the executive’s action to send him, Maharaj and Peters to the disciplinary committee and threats to discipline councillors Falicia Issahak and Narsingh Ramberan for supporting the election of Natasha Navas as Chaguanas Mayor.