Former National Security Minister Jack Warner has resigned his seat in the House of Representatives as Member for the Chaguanas West constituency in Central Trinidad.
He made the announcement when he addressed a crowd of supporters at a special rally last Thursday at the Felicity Recreation Ground, Charlieville, which is part of his constituency.
His resignation became effective on April 26, 2013. However, Speaker Wade Mark is yet to make the announcement declaring his seat vacant. Parliament has been adjourned “to a date to be fixed” and it is expected that he would do it once the House of Representatives sits again.
This move by Warner, 70, has triggered the process of holding a bye-election for the seat within 90 days.
He told his constituents he was resigning in keeping with the high Parliament tradition, after having resigned his Cabinet portfolio as National Security Minister a week ago amid allegations of fraud while he was head of CONCACAF football organization.
Warner handed in his resignation to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the day after she returned from an official visit to Canada.
However, Warner said he would seek to contest the bye-election as a United National Congress (UNC) candidate again.
Warner had won the seat with over 18,000 votes as a UNC candidate in the May 24, 2010 general election.
The Chaguanas West constituency is regarded as one of the UNC’s stronghold.
