Senior Political Reporter
“I’m prepared for the negatives as well as the positive,” says Jack Warner.
With that position, United National Congress (UNC) frontliner Jack Warner has sidestepped critics of his frontline role in the UNC’s accommodation and continued his walkabouts—including in heavy rain last Saturday in Marabella West which the UNC is seeking to win in the August 14 Local Government Elections.
Warner’s controversial legal issue-laden past as well as his present has been a point of contention by some in the campaign including in the UNC.
But Warner, 80, who survived a life threatening bout with COVID-19 in September 2020, has made it clear that his only wish in his post-COVID incarnation now is to help people wherever he can. After being hospitalised with COVID, he was subsequently very frank on how frightened he was and that he had prayed like never before to overcome it.
Warner, who has taken in the concerns and criticisms of critics with equanimity, has been the “star” of UNC’s walkabouts in many areas where he has been canvassing, including with the National Transformation Alliance (NTA) in the last week—Lopinot, Arima, Bon Air. In one area a wheelchair-bound woman waited at a junction to see the team as they passed since her area has a NTA candidate.
Last Saturday amid heavy rains in Marabella West—in the San Fernando battleground the UNC has targeted to wrest from the People’s National Movement (PNM) control—Warner demonstrated how campaigning goes in such weather, leading the team out in the rain to the “Train Line” area.
Also on the walkabout was UNC’s Marabella West candidate John Ali-Bocus, San Fernando area co-ordinator Jayanti Lutchmedial, NTA leader Gary Griffith and members of the OWTU’s Pointe-a-Pierre branch which is supporting the accommodation in the election.
Warner waved to people who called out to him, and a couple reached to shake hands with him through burglar proofing in pouring rain. There were shouts, “Time for PNM to go! Time for them to go!”
He canvassed people in areas where pictures of the PNM’s candidate were prominent. Warner and the team greeted people in their hammocks or who came out. A woman hugged Griffith. A man sheltered under a large cardboard square holding hands with Warner in the rain. An elderly woman prayed with the group.
Tonight the UNC accommodation will be in Chaguanas where officials said surprise guests may be present. On Thursday, the accommodation will be with the OWTU at Palms Club, San Fernando.