The UNC Alliance top brass has announced a joint leadership for the upcoming national elections in Trinidad and Tobago. Deputy political leader Jack Warner, FIFA VP, CONCACAF president and special adviser to TTFF, was named as joint leader along with Political Leader and former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday.
Jack Warner was emphatic yesterday claiming, "This is the dream team. To beat this you have to come better, not good. This is my dream come true." Warner and Panday each held hands in an embrace displaying the unity in the party.Front runner and defeated candidate, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, according to insiders was very disappointed in not winning the leadership battle and have an opportunity to become the first female prime minister of the twin island state of Trinidad and Tobago.
Basdeo Panday initially said he did not want the leadership reins declaring, "I don't want the job". Panday supported Persad-Bissessar, but Jack Warner did not think she had the skills required to lead the party to election victory against the Patrick Manning lead PNM.
Persad-Bissessar apparently had the leadership in the bag until Jack Warner returned to Trinidad and changed the course. The dual leadership model is being used to hopefully quell the racial divide in Trinidad and Tobago.
"This arrangement has come about because of our concern about the two major sectors of the society, that we will have to get together. Historically they have been apart and this arrangement will be one that hopefully will draw them together," Warner said.
Panday was non-committal as to who would be Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago is the UNC Alliance won. He however said, "We have realised this country has been traditionally divided on racial lines, particularly political racial lines. What we are trying to do is heal that wound in society and to unite our people in the tremendous political struggle."
