Jack’s PURE UNC plans

Talking after an hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Warner said, “It was a meeting to discuss the re-institution of PURE, and how quickly PURE can come on-stream.”

The duo discussed the number of projects and amount of work engaging PURE, plus some party matters to take the UNC forward. “In her capacity as political leader, she will now make certain announcements, in terms of the installation of officers,” Warner said.

Asked when PURE would restart, Warner said, “Cabinet is Thursday. If they confirm the minutes on Thursday, PURE could start work as early as Friday.

“You will see at the outset a minimum of 3,000 persons employed. There are 166 projects that would be started, on the average of 20 persons a project. That alone is 3,200 persons and you have more persons than that. So we have 166 projects and after Friday they will start, but I think I must defer to the Prime Minister (who) in the fullness of time will say much more,” Warner said.

Asked his plans for the UNC, he said, “The party’s coming activities for the next month — the different congresses, the different meetings, the installation of officers, the programme — all these things we discussed and finalised, and she will talk about it as political leader.”

He scoffed at charges last Monday by Congress of the People (COP) chairman Joseph Toney, that the People’s Partnership (PP) coalition is fragile. “He must know something I don’t know. I as chairman of the UNC am not aware of any fragility of the People’s Partnership.

“He must be using a different yardstick. I much prefer you ask him that, than you ask me. I don’t have the information he has to come to that conclusion. I believe we are strong and getting stronger every day,” Warner said.

Saying a difference of opinion is healthy, he saw no need to panic over the PP. “I’m not panicking...I’m not unduly worried.”

Does the UNC election give an impetus to boost the party’s structures, such as supplying a web- site?

Warner replied: “All this of course we have discussed. You will see a revitalised, re-energised UNC. You will see a UNC taking its place among the top parties in the region, in ways unprecedented. I give you that assurance today. With the new executive we have and the working relationship among all members, I am quite sure that we are in for better days. Better days are coming”.

Asked how he would work with those UNC members who lost in the internal elections, Warner said, “Let me tell you...if Obama (US President Barack Obama) could work with Hilary (US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton) and Hilary could work with Obama, I’m quite sure I could work with anybody and anybody could work with me.

“In any event, I have to re-brand myself into a new kind of chairman...to be less adversarial and more humble. To be more unassuming and more inclusive.”