When these things begin to happen it is because some of us are misinterpreting the responsibilities given to us and when large portfolios like two mega ministries are placed under one man's control. It sends the wrong message not only to the person in charge but also to the national community, especially when one's race or ethnicity can be punished because of the historical patterns of some of us.
I cannot live with that kind of belligerence nor should any member of the People's Partnership Government. This hurts our party. And it hurts our government. Whether they like it or not I am and will continue to be a member of the United National Congress. I will never hurt my party nor interfere with its chances to win an election.In 2008, I fought to put this party on an even footing. With the Movement for Change, my colleagues and I traversed this country from community to community for 14 months seeking ways to get our party ready to take over the reins of power and today I will do nothing to change that.
Many have advised me to make a clean break and begin anew, but I am UNC and UNC I will remain. I am UNC and with the UNC is where my heart will always be. I love my party but you my constituents, I love you more.I am still confident that no PNM under Rowley or this crop of politicians will be a better government than the People's Partnership and therefore I will re-dedicate my energies to ensure that such never takes place.
Now, before I conclude, what of Keith Rowley, an everlastingly bitter man, an unhappy man, a man whose ambitions will never be fulfilled living forever in the shadows of his peers. A man characterised by his leader as a raging bull after he was kicked out of the Cabinet for unbecoming behaviour.This is the man who sees me as a threat to his ambitions of power and will do whatever is necessary–lie, connive, even sleep with the devil to make his dream come true. But I have decided to be the bigger man and the better man tonight. I have decided that our country is reeking with too much hate and too much bitterness. There is too much rancour among us and as adults we are not providing our children with the right kind of examples they need.
I had planned to attack Rowley viciously here tonight and tell you about him from the cradle to the present, including his stint as dean of discipline at Roxborough Government Secondary School some forty years ago up to the PNM Carnival fete at Balisier House, but on reflection tonight is not the night for that. Armed with affidavits and statements of all kinds I am prepared, but not tonight. There will be other nights...I promise you. So with dignity I will go to the Parliament tomorrow and face Rowley and his motion. I will not say nor do anything to bring the Parliament into disrepute in any way. In fact, knowing our speaker, he won't even allow it. So for now I will leave Rowley.
Before I close tonight, I know you are all asking what next for Jack Warner? Let me tell you that when I spoke with the Prime Minister at her residence on Sunday I told her that if it became necessary for me to resign as minister and UNC Chairman–which it now has–I would also wish to resign as the MP for Chaguanas West.I felt that the proper thing to do would be to offer you my constituents, the explanation and the facts and resign as the Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West in keeping with the highest parliamentary traditions. In my meeting last Sunday, I had advised the Prime Minister of my thinking on this matter.
I also did tell her that I will want to contest the bye-election as a UNC Candidate for the Chaguanas West seat as I am UNC to the bone. And as such, with events having unfolded as they are to this point, I wish to let you know that tomorrow, Friday, I would be advising the Speaker of the House of Representatives that effective midnight on Friday night I am resigning as Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West.Section 69 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Tobago states that where a vacancy arises in the House of Representatives within the first four years of the life of the Parliament a bye-election shall be held to fill such vacancy not later than 90 days from the date of the announcement of the vacancy by the speaker.
Ninety days from April 25, 2013 will be July 24, 2013 and who knows? With luck, love and your support, Jack Warner will be back. I know many of you are still crying and I too as well am crying but from inside where it is even more painful.The prime minister in our meeting last Sunday even suggested that even if I do offer myself up for re-election I shall win and with your help and support, I too do feel so. Then together–hand in hand–we shall set right all the wrongs that have been committed. We shall work together to strengthen our UNC and our government and ensure that the people are truly always the first to be served–and that they are served with dignity. I promise that come what may, I will never leave you and I will never disappoint you.
So on Saturday a new office sign goes up to replace the Chaguanas West MP sign and then the bye-election campaign starts. I will still continue to see people from all walks of life, all over the country, from 1:30 am to 5:30 pm on Saturday. However, please be advised that it may take a little longer to achieve success since I will no longer be a Member ofParliament but many of my former Cabinet colleagues have assured me that nothing will change. On Friday May 24, 2013, a new weekly newspaper shall be launched–Sunshine Newspaper–designed to bring a new hope into your lives. And come July 24, 2013 who knows, with your love, your support and your understanding, I shall be your MP again.
I thank all of the members of the Protective Services for their support these past trying months. Based on their collective efforts, we were able to bring serious crimes down by over 35 per cent and even murders have been reduced from an all time high of 38 and 46 in January and February respectively, to 19 and 14 in March and April to date.A finer bunch of men and women one could not have asked for. In Laventille, residents can now breathe freely again. I wish I could have done more to give the SRPs and Municipal Police Officers their outstanding allowances or even a new home for our Immigration Department as well as our National Security Operation Centre. But I am sure that in the fullness of time those goals and more shall be attained.
I thank all the former members of staff of the Ministry of National Security especially the members of my security detail for their untiring commitment and dedication. But most important of all, I thank you my constituents for giving me the hope to carry on–today–a new day has dawned. I thank you.