Kamla: My Govt does not endorse Jack

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday distanced her Government from statements made by National Security Minister Jack Warner.

In a television interview on Tuesday, Warner, the United National Congress (UNC) chairman, said Independent senators should do "the honourable thing" and resign ahead of the election of a new president.

The term of current President George Maxwell Richards comes to an end on March 17. He is set to be succeeded by Justice Anthony Carmona.

"Mr Warner, when he made those statements, did not consult or speak with anyone else. Those were his personal opinions and not the opinion of the Government," said the Prime Minister.

"It is not the place of the Government to call upon, or to seek or to harass anybody to leave or resign. That will be totally within the purview and the jurisdiction of the President...his Excellency...and his office, and that will also be within the purview of those persons."

Speaking at the launch of Children's Carnival in Boopsingh Park, Penal, Persad-Bissessar said it was inappropriate for any Government to seek to trespass on the purview of the President in calling for the resignation of Independent senators.

"I do not endorse that view, and that would have been the personal view of Mr Warner. They do not reflect the view of my Government," she said.

And Persad-Bissessar said she was unable to comment on the High Court judgment delivered on Tuesday that the revocation of the appointment of Nizam Mohammed as chairman of the Police Service Commission was illegal, null, void and of no effect.

"I have not read the judgment, so I will not be able to pronounce on the specifics of the judgment. We will have to be guided by what is contained in the judgment," she said.