Shouts of “Ramjack-and-PNM coalition” were tossed at the Opposition in Parliament yesterday after PNM whip Marlene McDonald presented a question on behalf of the absent ILP leader, Jack Warner. Anil Roberts and other Government MPs made the remarks when McDonald presented a question on the agenda on behalf of Warner as he was not in the chamber at the time. The question was about CAL executive management posts. As soon as McDonald presented the query, PP MPs yelled, “Whaaat!.. Eh-eh!”
“Coalition! Ramjack and PNM!” Warner entered Parliament shortly afterwards, just after PNM leader Keith Rowley arrived. Yesterday’s “coalition” incident came the day after Warner criticised Rowley, saying he would never be Prime Minister. On Thursday Warner condemned comments Rowley made at a Diego Martin meeting about statements on a Warner radio programme about the PNM’s internal election.
Rowley had claimed a party leader had bought out radio air time and it was being made out on Warner’s programme that subterfuge was being used in the PNM election.
But Warner retorted, “I’ve tried my utmost to stay very far from Dr Keith Rowley and his PNM elections. I didn’t utter a word when I was accused of sponsoring Penny’s campaign because I didn’t think that any useful purpose would have been served by dignifying Rowley’s nonsense with a reply. Neither Penny (Beckles) nor her campaign team has ever asked me for any support of any kind.
“I stayed quiet when Rowley went after me in his campaign meetings, especially at the Russel Latapy School and again at Moka a day later, for I said to myself that I have no intention of going down to Rowley’s level.” Warner added, “However, in one daily newspaper, Rowley accused me of interfering in PNM’s internal elections. It is beyond dishonest for Dr Rowley to accuse me of interfering in PNM internal elections. “Contrary to his delusion, I am not his enemy nor his opponent; Pennelope Beckles- Robinson is.”
Warner also said he hadn’t bought out airtime on any radio station. He said he had “no interest in whether Dr Rowley or Pennelope Beckles-Robinson is PNM political leader,” but added, “I know that whether or not Dr Rowley is elected as PNM political leader, he’ll never be elected as Prime Minister of this country.”
Warner said Rowley should focus “where his greatest threat lies, and that’s within the PNM. He should be more concerned with uniting the PNM since he failed to unite the 12 PNM MPs. What happens on May 1 is PNM’s business but what happens after is of national concern....come May 19, it will be a different ball game.”