“When he switched from supporting Dookeran to backing Basdeo
Panday, he said he had a plan to enhance the image of the party.
“In Warner’s mind, the only thing that is important
is money and that is the only thing people are interested in.
“So if the UNC spends money, the party looks good.
“It is, in fact, having the opposite effect.
“I am just happy to say that I support someone like Political
Leader Winston Dookeran, who will never sell his soul for political
office.”
Griffith then added: “Warner gave $100,000 to the UNC, for
the UNC to give a donation to the Soca Warriors.
“He waited until Dookeran was out of the country and then
Kamla Persad-Bissessar the Opposition Leader, gave back the $100,000
to Warner as a donation to the Soca Warriors.
“But the Opposition Leader has no status within the administration
of the party.
“It is the Political Leader who had to present the cheque
to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation.
“They were just recycling the money; Warner gave with his
right hand and took it back with his left hand, and I have to ask
if that money from Jack Warner ever went towards the Soca Warriors?”
Griffith lamented the state of affairs within the UNC executive,
but defended his outspokenness, adding the UNC membership deserved
to know the truth.
“What you are hearing on the UNC platform is mild compared
to the way the executive speaks to and treats the Political Leader
during executive meetings,” Griffith stated.
“It is to the Dookeran’s credit that he maintains his
composure under that kind of ‘friendly fire’.
“The executive is demonstrating the height of hypocrisy.
“They want to shoot the messenger (me) for showing the country
the type of political domestic violence they are abusing Dookeran
with in the executive meetings.
“They robbed Gerard Yetming of the position of deputy chairman
of the party; I have witnesses and evidence that they allowed Vasant
Bharath to slip in through the back door.
“They dismissed Manohar Ramsaran when several others had missed
just as many meetings.
“They kicked out Robin Montano because he was brave enough
to give his opinion on Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.
“And as soon as I wrote officially of my concerns pertaining
to Warner breaching eight of the 10 codes of conduct of the UNC,
including his attacking Basdeo Panday during the pre-election campaign
when he was supporting Dookeran, and then when he switched, his
persistent attacks on Dookeran after he had switched his support
back to Panday, they decided to suspend me.
“Wade Mark raised his hand in the meeting and said he had
a perception that I was responsible for leaking information to the
media about details of executive meetings.
“All I will say is that I hope he, Wade Mark, never becomes
the National Security Minister.
“Can you imagine him saying, ‘I believe you killed somebody,
so I will have to hang you’?
“Wade Mark has no evidence to substantiate his accusations,
so the suspension is highly irregular and has no foundation in law.”
Griffith then added: “The vote to reinstate Ramesh Maharaj
was not unanimous.
“I voted against him.”
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