The political life of Jack Warner will officially come to an end at 5 pm today when a new political leader is elected for the Independent Liberal Party (ILP).
But a life in politics is one Warner openly said he much regretted.
Warner was fielding questions from members of the media following the National Convention of Teachers, held at the Cascadia Hotel and Conference Centre, St. Ann's, yesterday.
"I don't have to be in politics to help people but I thought that was the way to go. But now in retrospect it was the wrong thing to do. I regretted it for sure.
"I would have been far better off and more comfortable and been of more value to the people of this country before I became a Member of Parliament than now," Warner added.
His plans as a private citizen would include writing a book called In the Belly of the Beast, a reflection on his political life; focusing on his businesses; and enjoying a vacation.
"At the end of the day you know what is consoling? The very people who have tried to dig a hole for me have now dug a bigger hole for themselves," Warner said.
On his ban from Fifa, Warner said it did not bother him as he had not seen a football match for four and a half years, either internationally or locally.
He said after spending some $20 million on his own football club, Joe Public, he disbanded it some three years ago.
Asked if he believed Fifa was on its last legs, Warner said he believed the body was still financially strong.
"And some people would want that because I guess the Americans would want to take it over," he added.
On his decision to give up the party's leadership position, Warner said he believed this was in keeping with the Westminster system, adding that he felt the party was in good hands with whoever was selected.
On whom he would like to succeed as political leader Warner opted not to disclose.
Warner, who is a former teacher, delivered the feature address at the convention. He said it was illogical that gynaecologist Dr Tim Gopeesingh had been previously chosen as education minister.
He said he begged former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to instead put Clifton de Coteau since he came from the teaching profession but this suggestion was repeatedly rejected.
Warner said the first and primary prerequisite for the building of a sustainable society was returning the power stolen from teachers and giving them back the control over their profession.
He said this included teachers being involved in making decisions on activities that directly affected their work, including determining a school budget.
Warner added that a teacher could not be empowered if he or she was ill equipped with the skills and the ability to help students to learn.
"If we want high-level, deep learning for students we have to have highly skilled and intellectually able teachers. That means attracting, developing and retaining teachers who have those qualities, and giving them working conditions that inspire them and offer them a chance to soar.
"And if we cannot find them our job is to create the environment where we can grow such teachers so that change can be made not only in our schools but also in our society," Warner said.
In making some recommendations to improve the profession, Warner said the following:
�2Every term a principal holiday should be given to teachers who should be mandated to attend teacher development seminars within their educational districts
�2 Teachers should be challenged to come up with culturally specific methodologies as a tool for learning in the classroom
�2 Incentives should be given to schools that achieve one hundred per cent passes at external exams
�2 After five years, teachers should be given a paid sabbatical to upgrade their skills
�2 Teachers should be given laptops, free Internet, software and access to databases to assist them in the preparation of their lessons. They should also have free subscription for online magazines relating to modern techniques of teaching
�2 Each class should have two teachers; the roles should be for content and for discipline; this facilitates an environment of learning in the classroom
�2 The school should employ monitors who are responsible for discipline on the school compound with the exception of the classroom where a teacher is in control. (GK)