(Trinidad Express) A fresh set of rumblings of discontent emerged yesterday from the Congress of the People (COP) over the continued presence of National Security Minister Jack Warner in the Cabinet, as well as his intent to purchase two newspapers.
COP vice-chairman Vernon De Lima has filed a motion with an ultimatum—that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar remove Warner from her Cabinet or else the COP will cut ties with the People’s Partnership coalition government.
This motion will be debated on Sunday at the party’s national council meeting at COP Operations Centre, Chaguanas.
The People’s Partnership coalition originated with five political parties—the United National Congress (UNC), the COP, the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) and the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ).
However, in June this year, the MSJ, headed by former senator David Abdulah, withdrew from the People’s Partnership, taking issue over the governance of the country and handling of labour matters.
In addition, in a news release issued yesterday, the COP national executive, headed by political leader Prakash Ramadhar, is demanding that Warner desist further negotiations to purchase 100 per cent of the shares of the Mirror newspaper and a 39 per cent stakeholding in Newsday.
It is not the first time that Warner is facing pressure from the COP as both Ramadhar and De Lima have publicly criticised Warner and called for his resignation in the midst of allegations of a bribery scandal last year involving Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials.
Warner, a former FIFA vice-president, and former head of the Asian Football Confederation, Mohamed Bin Hammam, were accused by FIFA of offering bribes to CFU members at Hyatt Regency hotel, Port of Spain, in May 2011 prior to FIFA’s presidential elections.
Warner resigned his post as FIFA vice-president and Bin Hammam dropped out of the race for FIFA president and was banned by FIFA for life.
Bin Hammam had appealed the decision, which the Court of Arbitration (CAS) annulled.
However, the written judgment by CAS was heavily qualified, stressing Bin Hammam had not been found innocent of providing the cash for US$40,000 payments to CFU officials.
The CAS judgment also cast Warner in a negative light, which De Lima referred to in his motion.
De Lima said the COP’s stated position was that Warner should not be a member of Cabinet until such time as he is cleared of the allegations that have been made against him by FIFA.
“And whereas the situation is now worse than it was two years ago since the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in its recent written judgment published on its website on 24th of July 2012 has said that Mr Jack Warner is a man that cannot be trusted, that he has secret US fund accounts, that he mingles funds periodically and that he is a man who appears to be prone to an economy with the truth,” states the motion.
The COP vice-chairman’s motion also states that Warner is presently under investigation by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service for possible breaches of the Customs Act with respect to the alleged bribes paid to CFU delegates.
“And whereas having regard to the Congress of the People’s stated position about matters of transparency, truthfulness and decency, it must continue to be our position that Mr Jack Warner should not be a member of Cabinet at this time,” the motion states.
“Therefore be it resolved that the Congress of the People call on the Honorable Prime Minister to remove Mr Jack Warner from the Cabinet, failing which the Congress of the People will disassociate itself entirely from the People’s Partnership,” the motion concluded.
De Lima, speaking to the Express yesterday by phone, said the situation is now “untenable”, forcing him to take a stand.
“I have decided that I am taking a position. I think we are going down the wrong path and this is the reason why I have brought this motion forward,” said De Lima.
While this motion will be debated this Sunday, the COP National Executive, at a meeting held on Monday, knocked Warner’s move to purchase two newspapers and demanded that he desist with negotiations.
“Failing to do so, the minister must make the choice whether he wishes to pursue his personal commercial or other interests or act in the ‘public interest’ as the core values of the People’s Partnership extols,” a release signed by Ramadhar stated yesterday.
The COP release was referring to a Sunday Express exclusive in which Warner confirmed that he was exploring the purchase of the shares of the Chookolingo family in both newspapers.
The release said the National Executive of the COP considered this development and its implications contrary to the establishment of good governance that was promised by the People’s Partnership in its manifesto.
The release pointed out that the Code of Ethics established by Government requires persons holding ministerial office to divest themselves of personal economic interests. The code further mandates ministers to put their own commercial or business interests in the care and conduct of others while they hold office.
This is generally done through the use of a blind trust, the use of powers of attorney and other instruments, the statement said.
“The Minister’s (Warner’s) admission to the pursuit of private ‘purely commercial’ interests in the proposed purchase is contrary to the very values of the People’s Partnership,” the COP said.
It pointed to the example of Health Minister Fuad Khan, who had to exercise the choice of putting his ministerial duty above devotion to his patients, as an instance where the standards embodied in the code of ethics was upheld.
“It is the adherence to such standards of service and leadership that form the foundation of New Politics and lies at the core of the Prime Minister’s direction to all Ministers to ‘serve the people’. Such standards are applicable to all. It is not just a matter of law and legality, but a matter of the upholding of the highest standards,” the COP said.