UNC Leader Basdeo Panday yesterday tried to put Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner on the spot as he called on him to use $300,000 out of the $30 million ’he admittedly received on behalf of the UNC prior to the last general election to help the beleaguered Chaguanas Borough Corporation workers’.

But Warner hit back, saying: ’Tell Mr Panday that it would be a nice gesture on his part if he also takes a small part of the $10 million in his English bank account to join me (in assisting the workers)’.

Panday’s release stated that the party’s National Executive had called on Warner time and time again to account for donations made to the party. ’Warner should use the party’s money to assist the needy in the Borough and not exploit the downtrodden at the Council for political mileage,’ the release said.

But Warner responded, asking: ’Which party would not give the leader of that party $30 million but would give that money to Jack Warner? Isn’t that an indictment on the party leader? Any mad man who chooses to give Jack Warner money for the party and doesn’t give the party’s political leader of the last 20 years, isn’t that an indictment on the political leader?’

’So I don’t have to answer for Mr Panday and his foolishness. All I would say to him is since he knows what I should do, join me with some of the money from the English bank account,’ he said.

Panday had written to Prime Minister Patrick Manning asking that the funds be released and pointing out that many workers were suffering undue hardship as the result of the decision to fire them.

Chaguanas Mayor Natasha Navas had written to Warner requesting his assistance. Yesterday Warner dispatched a cheque in the sum of $309,000 for Navas to pay the workers to continue their work for a period of not less than two months.