By Richardson Dhalai and Clint Chan Tack Saturday, November 7 2009

UNC Deputy political leader, Jack Warner, has signaled his intention to ‘‘stand alone’’ should the Basdeo Panday-led national executive reverse a decision to hold the party’s internal elections next January.

However in an immediate response, Panday said the UNC’s internal elections will be held on January 24, 2010 as planned, and Warner’s claims were totally irrelevant.

Warner, who is presently in Nigeria, was responding to reports that the UNC political leader, following his high-level discussions with Prime Minister Patrick Manning earlier this week, was considering postponing the party’s internal elections to allow Opposition- controlled constituencies time to discuss proposed changes to the Constitution. On Tuesday, both Panday and Manning held discussions on the draft constitution together with the escalating crime rate at the Prime Minister’s official St Ann’s residence. The Opposition leader reportedly promised to submit the party’s constitutional reform proposals to the Government after the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting later this month.

It was this promise which has been identified by a party source as the main reason for the proposed postponement of the UNC’s internal elections. According to the source, Panday has proposed that meetings be held with each constituency to discuss the proposed changes to the constitution and the implications for the rank and file membership. The source stated that these suggestions would then be taken back to Parliament after discussions with Manning.

The proposal has reportedly already been discussed privately with key national executive members who have thrown their support for the proposal.

However, in an emailed response, Warner, who got wind of the proposal and drawing on the analogy of ‘‘bare Jack’’ in the card game of All Fours, said he was prepared to stand alone so that the party’s membership would be allowed to vote on a political leader and national executive.

“Standing up with bare Jack has won many an All Fours matches for me before, and will surely do so again,” Warner said. Contacted during yesterday’s Parliamentary sitting, St Augustine MP and UNC vice chairman Vasant Bharat issued an emphatic ‘‘NO’’ when asked whether reports of the postponing of the election were true.

Speaking with reporters during the tea break of the House of Representatives, Panday said: “ First of all, I do not discuss internal party affairs with the public. You know that. For me to indulge in peripheral matters. That’s totally irrelevant.”

He also rejected COP leader Winston Dookeran’s description of his talks with Manning as “the Manday Constitution.”

“I do not know that there is any agreement between Mr Manning and I about any constitution. It’s sad. It was a very great opportunity for him to say what his position on constitutional reform and what their draft was,” Panday said.