FORMER attorney general in the People’s National Movement (PNM) John Jeremie made a surprise appearance on a United National Congress (UNC) platform on April 14, pledging support and promising to vote for the UNC on April 28. He gave a rousing endorsement of Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Jeremie who served as AG in the Patrick Manning administrations from 2003-2007 and from 2009 to 2010, called for an end to the race talk that seeks to divide in this critical election as he was warmly welcomed by Persad-Bissessar, whom she referred to as her brother, in law. Both are attorneys.
He called her a patriot and spoke of a relationship which spanned their university days, when she was his teacher.
Persad-Bissessar said she was moved to tears by his statements and assured him of a warm welcome into the UNC family.
Alluding to his role in her government should she win the April 28 election, Persad-Bissessar told him to “brace his back” as there was a lot of work to be done.
Mounting the platform just before Persad-Bissessar closed the meeting in her constituency at Bhupsingh Park, Penal, Jeremie acknowledged that he was the last man anyone of them would have expected to see on the UNC platform, given his past portfolio in the ruling party.
“I have fought bitter battles in the Parliament against many who are seated here tonight. I understand that it is frowned upon to change sides in our culture. I am fully aware of how I can be harmed for this, and I stand to gain nothing for myself.”
He said he was a child of the PNM, explaining, “My deceased mother worked for the first Prime Minister of TT Dr Eric Williams. As a child, I spent hours in a room at Whitehall outside of the office of Dr Eric Williams, waiting for my mother to finish work.
“At university, I became a member of the PNM and years later, I served the PNM loyally in the parliament. Two weeks ago – only two weeks ago – for those of you who listen to the politics in a public meeting, at Harris Promenade in San Fernando, they spoke in complimentary terms of my work as AG.
“...I speak to you as a patriot and ... by definition, I speak therefore outside of the PNM.
“For me, it has always been country first. That is why I took up battles against corruption, because corruption robs the young and unborn.”
Before an audience which included representatives of the labour movement, Prof Selwyn Cudjoe and former PNM minister Fr Kennedy Swaratsingh, Jeremie, recalled having known Persad-Bissessar since she taught him the English language course at UWI, more than 30 years ago.
“Later, when she switched to law and came to the Cave Hill Campus as a student, she was, if memory serves me correctly, pregnant with her son. She struggled to attend lectures, so I was happy to lend her, my teacher, the notes that I had.
“She went on to finish top of her class at the UWI,” he declared, for which Persad-Bissessar thanked him when she took the platform.
“Years later, we found ourselves on opposing sides, but both serving the people of TT in the Parli
