Former deputy leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Anna Deonarine plans to increase private security around her and her family after boldly taking on her former boss Jack Warner on Friday night from the United National Congress (UNC) platform.
After publicly attacking Warner from the relative safety of the UNC platform in St Helena, Deonarine confirmed to the Sunday Guardian yesterday that she was now contemplating a strong security contingent for her family as she expected that the general election campaign would become ever more heated.
FLASHBACK
During Deonarine’s strident support for Warner on the Chaguanas West campaign trail in October 2013, the Sunday Guardian obtained information that Deonarine was interviewed by police investigators regarding an alleged link to a luxury vehicle stolen in the United Kingdom, which was then sold through a broker and shipped to Trinidad. The vehicle was registered locally to a company which listed Deonarine among its directors. The white Range Rover was seized by police.
Warner addressed that issue on an ILP platform, offering Deonarine the services of his retained senior counsel to sue the newspaper as Deonarine had then denied any involvement in the matter. The ILP did issue a pre-action protocol letter against the Sunday Guardian at that time but went no further with the issue, even though more stories on the Range Rover flooded the media.
Subsequently, Ramlogan revealed that Deonarine was a key beneficiary of the sale of land bought by her parents from Dole Chadee’s brother for $225,000, 20 acres of which were later sold to Clico for $13 million. Deonarine’s mother, Shama, worked at Clico at the time.
By September 2014, photos surfaced of Deonarine attending an Independence Day Classical Singing Competition hosted at the Fun Splash Water Park, Debe, by UNC top brass Dr Roodal Moonilal. Deonarine said then that she was not affiliated with any political party.
‘That’s the same party that called her a car thief’
Warner, in a brief telephone interview yesterday, said he had been betrayed by a list of former members of his party, which now included Deonarine.
“But I am sorry for Anna because any woman who is part of that party, especially an educated woman, needs some kind of moral guidance,” he said.
“While I understand that she has been showered with gifts, it is difficult to understand how easily people could still be bought.
“My sorrow for Anna is really for her children who now have the difficult task of coming to terms that their mother is someone that they used to look up to,” Warner said.
When asked if he was concerned that Deonarine had threatened to reveal inside information on him, Warner laughed.
“If she had information on me, I beg of her to make it public. In fact, I will pay for ad space in the daily newspapers, I will give her free exposure in the Sunshine Newspaper, on the Sunshine hour and on Warner TV,” he said, referring to his newspaper, an hour-long radio programme, and his online television station, respectively.
“Seems she has forgotten that that is the same party that called her a car thief and was critical of her mother in her Clico land deal. It boggles my mind that her memory is so short,” Warner said.
Deonarine said she had inside information on Warner as a result of working closely with him during the 2013 Chaguanas West by-election. She said while she did not want to contribute to the debasement engendered by Warner-era politics, she was willing to reveal what she had on him when she mounted subsequent UNC platforms.
The Sunday Guardian has since learned that among the damning revelations to come is information on deals Warner allegedly carried out. She also plans to reveal details of a Warner/People’s National Movement (PNM) collusion.
Ironically, it was to Warner that Deonarine had turned when under attack by former attorney general Anand Ramlogan. Warner helped move Deonarine and her family to a secure, secret location because of the vitriolic attack by Ramlogan over a $13 million land deal involving her mother, Shama Deonarine, who acquired land owned by hanged drug lord Dole Chadee. Defending Deonarine back in October 2013, Warner said because of revelations made by Ramlogan, Deonarine was forced to flee her home with her children for fear of harassment.
Warner had then criticised Ramlogan of disrespecting women, the same charge that Deonarine is now levelling against him. “When I saw what was happening, I knew that something had to be done,” Deonarine said. “It is going to be tough because politics is not an easy choice to make,” she said.
Deonarine said her family was “reluctant” when she first broached the topic of returning to the political fold.
“I took a hiatus for a year and when I saw what was happening in politics, I realised I had to return,” she said.
She said despite her plan to reveal dirt on Warner, she was “walking a tight line” between revealing the truth and falling into gutter politics. “But at the end of the day, I have to be sure that I do not stoop to his level and we help take politics out of the gutter where he brought it. We need to bring it back up to our level,” Deonarine said.
But while Deonarine emphasises she is seeking to bring honour back to politics, there are already rumours that the former ILP activist has been well compensated for her appearance and newfound allegiance to the UNC. The Sunday Guardian was told of Cepep contracts, the promise/award of an NP service station and several legal briefs.
“To this day, I have not received one single thing. I would have loved to get that. Maybe that would make what I am about to face a little easier,” she said.
Deonarine said she knew she had opened the door to personal attacks and the inevitable mud-slinging now that she had spoken out against Warner. She said she also knew he was a formidable opponent.
“But I am prepared for what will be coming. I had to be even before I decided to step back on that platform,” she said.