Stand up and fight your own battles

Speaking to the media at the Hasely Crawford Stadium yesterday, Warner said Dookeran needed to be "bold, decisive, expressive and even protest, if he has to, in order to be a good leader."

He claimed Dookeran will attend meetings and sit quietly without saying anything. And when he does say something, Warner said, "you have to question the worth of what he has said."

Warner made it clear that Dookeran cannot afford to allow people to fight his battles, and he must do so for himself.

Warner’s advice comes on the heels of calls by various sectors of the society — including former UNC high-ranking member and former Chaguanas MP Hulsie Bhaggan — for Dookeran to resign from the UNC and form his own party. Dookeran, a former Central Bank Governor, has been in disagreement with certain decisions made by Opposition leader and party chairman Basdeo Panday and members of the executive. Only recently, Dookeran openly expressed disappointment with plans for a mass rally at Mid Centre Mall in Chaguanas to welcome back former UNC "bigwig" Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.

Meanwhile, Warner, commenting on the appointment of former Olympic sprinter Ato Boldon as a UNC senator, said he was "happy" for Boldon and added that the country could look forward to two "bombshell" appointments in the near future. He said two more high-profile, well-known persons would be joining the party and that the media would be informed in due course. He said the two persons slated to join the party, will "blow the minds of many."

Boldon replaces Roy Augustus who resigned from the Senate after what he (Augustus) said seemed to be a vicious power struggle within the party. Warner, who said he found out about the resignation of Augustus through the media, said he considered Augustus’ resignation as a form of disrespect.

The Trinidad and Tobago’s football special advisor told the media that he was the one who brought Augustus into the political arena, and therefore felt Augustus could have at least informed him of his decision.

Warner described his political relationship with Augustus as "nil," but added his working relationship with him has been "quite good."

Warner said the inclusion of Boldon will help strengthen the party as he will come with his experience in the field of sports. He said Boldon will be used to target the youths concerning what is needed for sports and otherwise.