Jack Warner is chief whip
Basdeo Panday is taken aback by Jack’s new parliamentary status. The ageing warrior, however, refuses to resign as Parliamentary Opposition Leader.
As CONCACAF president and FIFA third vice-president, it is said in football circles that Jack Warner is the man who calls the shots-if not, at times, cracks the whip.
Warner, who was elected chairman of the United National Congress (UNC), is now the party’s Chief Whip in the House of Representatives.
This was announced in Parliament today by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar much to the surprise of Basdeo Panday, who is tenaciously clinging on to the post of Parliamentary Opposition Leader.
Warner replaces an ailing Caroni Central MP Dr Hamza Rafeek.
When told about Warner’s appointment yesterday, Panday said: “I didn’t know about it”.
Warner told reporters that he was humbled by the appointment and pledged to “do my utmost to serve the party and the country.”
As Chief Whip, he will be responsible for the order of speaking of Opposition members on bills and motions in the House and will liaise with the Leader of the House Colm Imbert on these matters.
During today’s sitting Prime Minister Patrick Manning paid tribute to Panday for his contribution to the country and also congratulated Persad-Bissessar and Warner on their victories at the UNC’s internal executive elections which were held on Sunday.