Tuesday, December 13 2011

Works and Infrastructure Minister, Jack Warner, has described as “premature” the decision by Congress of the People, (COP), political leader Prakash Ramadhar to inform the national population about a letter he wrote to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The letter requested a meeting of the coalition party leaders to discuss Government’s performance since the May 24, 2010 General Election. Speaking to reporters following a tour of High Street, Princes Town to review traffic congestion along the main thoroughfare, Warner also confirmed that Ramadhar’s letter had been received by the Prime Minister last Friday.

“He did write, I am told, he did give her the letter on Friday, I am told, but I think if I, I don’t know how people operate, but I think if I were the leader of a political party, and I had to write the Prime Minister, I think it would be premature for me to give a Prime Minister a letter on Friday and reveal the contents on Monday,” Warner said, adding, “ I don’t know how they operate but I would do my thing differently.”

“The Prime Minister did say that everything is well, and I support that,” he said, adding, “there will be differences of opinion which are healthy in any event, and there will be all kinds of teething problems in a coalition, but it’s nothing new. I think if we sit down as dispassionate people and discuss these ideas instead of in the glare of the public, it would be better for all of us.

This is my view in the matter.”

Asked whether Ramadhar should have addressed his letter to the party chairman, Warner responded , “I am the party chairman, but he asked for the party leader. I am the party chairman and if I have to go, the Prime Minister will call me. Not Mr Ramadhar.”

“But I say again, I repeat I think it’s premature for any leader to disclose the contents of a letter sent to a Prime Minister 24 hours ago, I think its premature, but he has his style and guess other leaders have theirs, and I have mine,’ he concluded.