Oh how the mighty has fallen; Jack Warner Is In a Dark Corner

Jack Warner

Oh how the mighty has fallen. Jack Warner a controversial yet popular political figure, one described as a man possessed with tremendous political skills, is now precipitously perched on the edge of a political cliff staring at certain political death. But Warner is no stranger to this familiar ground, as he was once thought to be at this juncture in his infamous career. Somehow he turned his fate around,  rebounding emphatically in March 24th 2012 after being re-elected as Chairman in the UNC's  executive election where he received 12,656 votes - the highest number of votes cast in the election. However, this time he might not escape the onslaught as his demise seems inevitable, battling against a  gruesome political tide in a bid to survive this well orchestrated plan to oust him from the hierarchy and membership of the UNC. 

For non believers and infidels, Karma is real. I remember Warner speaking not too long ago, to the now politically voiceless Manning stating  that " Pride goeth before destruction, and an a haughty spirit before a fall ", never stopping to heed his own advise. Now, in almost similar fashion as Manning's mid-term demise, Jack has found himself dying a slow political death, which can only be resuscitated by his blind "eat ah fooders" within his former constituency. 

Warner the untouchable, trained his guns on every and anyone who seemingly opposed him. From ordering the Police to withhold crime statistics from the Media, to Religious leaders and even the President. No one escaped his tongue as Warner accused Rev Colin Sampson of turning Trinity Cathedral “into Balisier House”, and launched an attack on the President of the Republic, accusing him of using his office to bolster a PNM's agenda. Warner, a self proclaimed “incorruptible" seemed to have had a hold on the Peoples Partnership, insofar that he was almost answerable to no one. Many were of the opinion that Warner some how possessed critical files on the membership of the  hierarchy within the UNC; somehow proving to be indispensable while acting as the man in charge of all in the PP. 

Today those speculations can be laid to rest as the once powerful Warner is being challenged in unfamiliar manner by those he would have devoted his life, time, energy and high financial reach. The UNC to which he has embraced, has now turned their guns on him in a final bid to rid the Party of Kamla's greatest internal threat. It is for that reason a young Khadijah Ameen would be chosen over all else. Jack Warner has now been finally pushed into a dark corner where his political survival rest on those loyal to him ( the eat ah fooders within his former constituency) and a choice to contest the Chaguanas West seat as an Independent.

As the plot thickens,Warner is now between a rock and a hard place. A choice between certain political death or expulsion from the party he has fought hard and long to survive in, stares at him with piercing eyes. Jack Warner is now on a perilous part to an inglorious political end as he making a desperate survival move quietly going to the EBC as he plots and set in motion his plan B. He has now accused the UNC of pre-selecting Ameen and that the screening process was just a farce. It is known knowledge that Warner is Kamla's greatest internal threat and she has only now been able to have a perfect opportunity to rid her self of this this impending danger. It is for this reason among others that Jack Warner has found himself in a dark corner, dying slowly a political death at the hands of his own leader, and who can stop it?,  save the one that would have started it.   

I can see political angels flying through the air proclaiming their message "Hear ye!, ohh, hear ye!, Jack Warner is fallen, is fallen"! I have no doubt that these are the darkest hours yet for the mighty Jack Warner. His hands are bound and political vultures  are circling over head, preparing to feast on his dying political corpse. Remember the good old book says, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap, for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption"... 

Oh how the mighty has fallen.

Ramesh to fight case for Rowley

Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, Former Attorney
General, United National Congress.

FORMER attorney general in the United National Congress (UNC) government Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj SC has been retained by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley to defend him in a defamation lawsuit.

Rowley, political leader of the People's National Movement (PNM), made the disclosure at a political meeting in Point Fortin on Tuesday night.

Rowley was served legal letters on behalf of Senior Superintendent Surajdeen Persad, claiming damages for defamation, following statements Rowley allegedly made at a meeting in Tunapuna last week.

Maharaj confirmed yesterday that he was retained by Rowley in the matter. "Yes, he has retained me. It is a matter where Senior Superintendent Surajdeen Persad wants to commence on legal proceedings against (Rowley), in response to statements he made at a meeting. I have decided to represent him," he said.

Rowley said he was served pre-action protocol letters less than 24 hours after the meeting, giving him 21 days to respond.

He said, "In the Opposition, having seen what happened in the last two and a half years where the Prime Minister has led the charge to dismantle the National Security system, I received a letter and I shared it with you in Tunapuna last week."

Rowley was accused of being "callous, reckless, irresponsible and malicious to expose in Tunapuna confidential National Security information".

"Tonight, I have no money to pay costs. I know you going to pay it because I am defending you, the people of T&T, and I want this lawsuit to go to court because when it goes to court, I am looking forward to the witnesses, and today, I consulted my lawyer," he said on Tuesday night.

Rowley said that People's Partnership politicians could not be trusted to tell the public the truth on any issue and said the quality of the lives of citizens was being affected by the inability of ministers to properly manage the economy and get a handle on crime.

Rowley told supporters that his political party was ready for any election and called on Point Fortin residents to select suitable candidates to represent them.

Moore ah Wolf in Sheep's Clothing...In Other words, ah UNC in TOP Clothes

Minister of Justice
Chrislyn Moore

What side of the fence is your Tobago-born Minister of Justice Christlyn Moore? As a self defined "eat ah fooder" of the UNC, (held Briefs from both Anand and Kamla) many persons have questioned her true political allegiance.  It is no wonder that she has been described as a "straw man", a United National Congress (UNC) mouthpiece, timely introduced (for THA elections) and pretending to be a TOP affiliate to lure voters and fulfill the wishes of Kamla by securing Tobago and thus closing the circle.  

Moore, an attorney at law from Lambeau, has been critical of the PNM lead administration of the Tobago House of Assembly, lead the Orville London. Moore much like a raging bull blew steam recently in the Senate, accusing London of maladministration and taking him to task about a statement he made recently about not forgiving Tobagonians if they did not vote for the PNM. 

However, former minister and MP for Tobago East Rennie Dumas indicated that democracy was alive and well on the island, and is evident by the open show of support for the Opposition Tobago Organisation of the People, by its supporters.

"Everybody is everybody... TOP complains about victimisation, but the reality is that if you walk outside you would see taxi-drivers driving with TOP flags, people going into compounds of administrative offices flying flags in cars, on their windows, and its not a problem in any way.

"When Orville said he will 'not forgive', it was merely the old school teacher way about him. There is nothing more to it," he said.

When asked about Moore's attack, the former PNM government minister seemed unperturbed about her stance.

He said: "Moore is in a sense a straw man. She is selected from Trinidad and has taken this stance because of her relationship with the Prime Minister and the Attorney General, as she herself has explained."

He said Moore had no space in the electoral process in Tobago, and did not come to Tobagonians as a member of any political party, and certainly not the Opposition Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP).

Moore responded by saying Dumas was out of place to attempt to define her political identity and maintained that she is part of the executive of TOP. 

But the way Dumas sees it, "(Moore) is attacking from the safety of having no relationship to us. People have to understand that she is their (the Prime Minister and the Attorney General's) champion, and is in fact, a UNC champion."

He said the UNC is "attempting to clothe her and cloak her in TOP clothes", and while he was not questioning Moore's 'Tobagonianess,' Dumas said, "She is not a TOP, she did not come to us as a member of TOP, she was not elected."

He further noted, Moore had no political cost to pay for her utterances. "She is like a guerilla taking free shots from behind the protected borders of a state; in this case, Trinidad," Dumas said. He charged that she was really nothing more than the mouthpiece of the UNC, "just like Anil (Roberts) and the others, always on the attack for the PP government".

Her status, according to him, was unlike Vernella Alleyne-Toppin and Dr Delmon Baker, who are TOP MPs. "In their case, they must pay because they were elected by the people of Tobago and whatever they say, will have a cost," Dumas added.

He said Moore's political stance is move to positioned herself for prime ministerial role. "Maybe she sees it as 'she is coming', after all, if Kamla could become PM then what's stopping Moore? When Vernella was acting PM, she thought she would be Prime Minister too. "Where is she now?" he asked with a half-laugh.

Tobago House of Assembly Dissolved: No Date Set for Election.

Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly
 Orville London

The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has been dissolved today paving the way for the election due in the island. However,  Orville London  the Chief Secretary  has not given the date of the election, as the election is not constitutionally due until January 2013. 

The London led administration has been at the seat of power for the THA since 2001 after unseating the Hochoy Charles led administration. In that election the PNM won eight of the 12 seats in the THA. The party repeated its success in 2005 with 11 seats. In 2009, it lost some ground to the new Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP), winning eight seats. 

TOP have made several calls to the PNM led administration to call the THA election. Ashworth Jack the Minority leader and leader of the TOP has joined the coalition government led by UNC leader Kamla Persad-Beissessar.  The Prime Minister has openly called for the election as her government attempts to win the Tobago elections securing both the central and THA seats of power. 

The PNM and TOP are the major parties within Tobago, and have both indicated their confidence in winning ahead of the elections. 

Kamla In Front God Behind, "The Reason"

Kamla in front and God Behind PP 2010 election

Over two years have passed, and what seems to be an everlasting tale of Corruption, Self gratification, unhappiness by many citizens, Disaster, Injustices, Crime,  Mistakes and Mis-steps  have been plaguing this beloved country with no sight as to when it would ever end. But why this sudden change? Why, are we being punished? Why have we sunken into this grave abyss, struggling against this dark body of water amass with currents of confusion, hysteria and in-coherency? The answer lies in the subliminal pre-electoral campaigned  messages that have been branded so many times in front our very own eyes. "Pride goes before a fall", were the words of the wise man Solomon. Indeed, I have strong faith in those words. I believed them pre election 2010 and continue to assert that those words still hold, with strong affirmation. This Government came into power on the premise of "Change", however, the Nation received an Exchange. Referred by many as aunty Kamla, and credited with motherly characteristics, senses and care, you might be swayed into believing that running a country is as easy as managing a four (4) member household. Truth be told, motherhood would never prepare you for Prime-ministerial role. The picture attached to this disquisition, sums up the governance and the state of this country in its entirety. The reason for this apparent chaos, for the many mistakes and mis-steps, the constant reshuffling (trying to get it right) and the many atrocities we've had to endure in only two years of an infant government is simply because "God is not First". The bible makes it very definitive "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain". Psalm 127:1 KJV

And that my friends is  The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing but The Truth. 

Written by O.J.Noel

28th June 2012