The United National Congress’s (UNC) internal elections, scheduled for January 24, may be in limbo.

The situation has developed after Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner threatened to take Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday and members of the UNC Executive to court, should they fail to provide him with the full list of the party’s membership. Such legal action would deter the elections.

Warner issued a letter to all members yesterday, giving an ultimatum seeking the information, saying it is to ensure the party’s internal elections would be legitimate and fair.

He expressed concern over the operations of the UNC, claiming that actions were being taken that were not in accordance with the party’s constitution, and asserted that organs and arms of the party were illegal, and accurate records must be put in place.

Warner noted that on October 25 this year, there was a meeting of the National Congress, at which it approved a resolution for a Special National Assembly to be held on November 29, 2009, to review previous decisions and to set a date for the party’s internal elections.

He pointed out that in 2007, without constitutional authority, the National Executive passed a Special Resolution whereby all the existing financial members were granted automatic renewal, without further payment, of their party membership.

He said that resolution was most recently renewed on February 12 to extend until December 31, 2009, but this resolution wholly failed to address the relevant considerations which would have to be taken into account to ensure an accurate representation of party membership. These include the death of any members who were part of the initial list, inclusion of persons who may have changed their political affiliation and new members since the Special Resolution.

Warner further argued that there were discrepancies with regard to the election of constituency representatives. He said the democratic procedure, involving grass roots participation, for choosing the Constituency Council was simply by-passed and instead unlawfully appointed constituency executives simply appointed the constituency representatives.

As a result, he said, these constituency representatives were invalidly appointed to the National Congress and they had no constitutional authority to participate in that meeting.

Given all the illegalities outlined, Warner said the proposed meeting of the Special National Assembly would be invalid, and any purported resolution passed will be null and void. He requested that the Executive urgently provide him with a complete list of all financial members, identifying any dues that have been paid in respect of the current year.

’I believe that such a list will comprise of perhaps somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 names. I have heard that you might be willing to allow me the facility of looking at the list, but not permitting me to have a copy,’ Warner wrote.

’Such a facility is useless. I need to have a copy list in my hands so that I can make my own checks, and satisfy myself and many other concerned persons in the party that only people eligible to vote are in fact allowed to vote, and that all persons who are eligible to vote are allowed to vote. Providing me with that list is now a matter of great urgency.’

Warner’s second request was that the Executive provide him with an assurance the election procedure will be followed as per the constitution.