Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner might possibly be “colour blind.” This was the assumption yesterday of several People’s National Movement (PNM) and United National Congress (UNC) parliamentarians, as they disclaimed Warner’s recent declaration that their respective constituencies have flipped their support to his new party and “gone green.” Warner made the claim on the platform last Saturday that La Brea, Point Fortin, Princes Town, San Fernando and Sangre Grande had “gone green.”
Asked by the T&T Guardian yesterday how the ILP had determined people from the various constituencies had “gone green,” ILP chairman Robin Montano said: “While there’s no scientific study, we are gauging the extent of the ILP’s reach by the many applications we have been receiving from many of these constituencies. “The membership application form states where the person is from so this is how we know how many people from each area are applying to join us.
“While a lot of applications do come from UNC members in UNC stronghold areas, we are also receiving applications from persons across the board and recently this has caused a spike in membership to over 100,000.” However, PNM Point Fortin MP Paula Gopee-Scoon yesterday struck down the ILP claims, saying: “Pt Fortin gone green? Absolutely not! Maybe Mr Warner has a problem and he is colour blind.
“Born and bred, Pt Fortin will stay PNM. Our people have seen that Jack Warner has done nothing for this constituency,” Gopee-Scoon said, adding that Point Fortin’s PNM units are working the “ground.” PNM La Brea MP Fitzgerald Jeffrey, agreeing that Warner had it wrong, added: “La Brea is firmly in the arms of the PNM. Mr Warner is merely trying to create a perception that he has widespread support and that should not be bought wholesale and swallowed.
“A group from his party was going around the constituency last week before they had their (Tunapuna) meeting last Saturday but they are not getting anywhere. “Any support he might have in our area would be from UNC supporters, of which there is a small amount... so, no green.”
Jeffrey added: “La Brea people have not forgotten the ‘legacy’ Jack left, that includes projects which he promised while as Works Minister and which were either done in patchwork operation or not at all. I can recall the road paving from Oropouche to Point Fortin, which was not done. “He promised Sobo Village a $5 million project to deal with landslips, which was to have started at the time in two weeks and that was not done either.
“We had the road from Siparia to Erin project also and landslips in Erin which we needed him to do. He might have done a lot for Chaguanas West but nothing in La Brea, so people here are upset with him.” UNC’s Princes Town MP, Nela Khan, said:, “That (going green) may be Mr Warner’s claim but the UNC remains strong. I am working with our activists on the ground and UNC in Princes Town is solid.”
PNM San Fernando East MP Patrick Manning, back from Washington, declined comment on Warner’s assertions. Chairman of the PNM’s San Fernando East constituency Kenneth Prescott, however, dismissed Warner’s claim saying: “He could say anything he wants.” Toco-Sangre Grande MP Rupert Griffith was unavailable but PNM Sangre Grande activist Eric Taylor said: “Mr Warner should know this isn’t about traffic light business.
“Grande went from (PNM) red to (UNC) yellow before and they have learnt from their mistakes the hard way, so there’s no switching to another colour like green. “The area is now mature enough to understand the politics and ready to give the PNM another chance at governance. A lot of people are readying their red jerseys for the Local Government campaign, willing to give PNM another chance.
“They were promised goodies in Tobago, they took it and voted PNM. Chaguanas West was also promised goodies they took it and voted for who they wanted. So it’s clear people are for their communities first and the PNM understands that.”