Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner says negotiations for local government allocations have broken down between the United National Congress (UNC) and the Congress of the People (COP.)Warner, addressing an ILP meeting at Gasparillo Junction on Tuesday night, said talks between the two People's Partnership partners broke down on Monday night.The talks centre around which regional corporations the parties will be contesting for local government elections on October 21.
Warner said: "There was no compromise. They called an emergency meeting of the COP national council for Thursday (today)."The COP now split, the COP now saying the UNC should fight all the seats. The COP wants none, the COP wants none but the COP got none."However, UNC deputy political leader Dr Roodal Moonilal yesterday dismissed Warner's claim.
Moonilal, speaking with the T&T Guardian in a telephone interview, said talks between both parties were still in progress."He has no locus (place/standing). He knows nothing about that. Talks are ongoing," Moonilal added.COP chairman Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, when contacted yesterday, declined to respond to Warner's statements."I am in Parliament. Can I say no comment? I have no comment," she said.
Warner also trained his guns on Moonilal as he said he had nothing to do with the Government's rental of a building at Mucurapo Road, which belongs to his son, Daryan.Warner said it was under the former PNM regime the rental process was initiated with his son and Moonilal knew that.He said when the issue arose he recused himself from Cabinet discussions.
However, he pointed fingers at Moonilal, whom, he said, did not do the same when the Housing Minister's relatives were being considered before Cabinet. Moonilal dismissed that. He said: "Mr Warner is extremely desperate and I prefer not to comment on any of his rantings."But I warn the nation it will get worse as we further expose his misdeeds in the Government. He presented himself to be Saint Jack of Chaguanas West but we will be exposing him in the Parliament and on the streets."
Moonilal added: "Warner can seek to defend himself by attacking my brother, my sister, family and even the dog in the family but I will not get caught up in that."