Political leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Jack Warner says he was aware of a plan to ship former Special Reserve Police officer (SRP) officer Jitnarine Hardeen out of the country by Saturday.
He was addressing an ILP cottage meeting in Indian Walk, Moruga, on Wednesday night. “The fella (Hardeen) give his number on tape. I have just been told that plans are afoot to ship him out of the country by Saturday,” said Warner.
“How would I know that...that plans are afoot that he must leave here by Saturday and come back by September 7?” he asked.
He questioned Hardeen’s statements that the voice on the tapes made public by Warner on Tuesday was not his (Hardeen). Hardeen has since issued a pre-action protocol letter demanding Warner retract his statements. Warner also denied claims he was plotting to bring down the People’s Partnership Government before he resigned as works minister in April 2013.
“I resigned in April, Jit Hardeen spoke to me in August after the July 29 (by-) election. He came to me and those two tapes are 45-minutes each and he told me ‘I don’t mind if you tape me.’ Listen good, I didn’t catch him off guard and he then poured his belly out,” he said. Warner urged government members to “hold strain” with their comments until he made two new revelations.
He asked: “Why is Stacy (Roopnarine), (Roodal) Moonilal and (Stephen) Cadiz suddenly spokespersons? I said I have two more revelations to make. Why they don’t wait until I finish say all I have to say and then respond.
“Because if they behave that way now, what will they do when the other two things are said because I tell yuh, when I say them who eh dead badly wounded. All I’m telling them is hold strain. Is not me put election three months away, is she, so if you in the kitchen you have to feel the heat.”
Warner told residents if he were to reveal details of Persad-Bissessar’s actions, the meeting would last all night.
“But of what value that would be...that does nothing for you in Moruga....in a fight, in a battle, you have to pace yourself,” he said. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Warner confirmed he had received a pre-action protocol letter from Hardeen’s attorneys as Hardeen said it was not his voice on the tapes Warner had played at a press conference on Tuesday.