T&T PM: Concacaf expose a tragic scenario

Kamla Persad Bissessar

(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has admitted to being shocked by the revelations regarding National Security Minister Jack Warner contained in a report presented yesterday in Panama by the head of Concacaf’s Integrity Committee, Sir David Simmons.

In a brief telephone interview with CNC3 News last night, the Prime Minister, who is in Washington, DC, USA, said she would like to see the report, but added: “Should these allegations be true, they tell a tale of a tragic scenario.”

She also admitted: “I have action to take.” But the Prime Minister told CNC3, “Natural justice demands that I see the report first.”

Former Barbados chief justice Simmons presented the report to Concacaf’s con­gress.

The report detailed allegations of financial mismanagement by former Concacaf president Warner and ex-gene­ral secretary Chuck Blazer with respect to the management of Concacaf.

Kamla Persad Bissessar
Kamla Persad Bissessar

The Prime Minister left Trinidad on Sunday for the United States, where she attended a meeting at the United Nations and participated in the debate “The UN and Global Economic Governance” in New York.

The Prime Minister also contributed to the Americas-Africa Business Forum, which was organised by the Organisation of American States (OAS) in Washington, DC. She is scheduled to return to Trinidad tonight.

Reuters reported on March 28 that there was an FBI probe into allegations of FIFA corruption and Warner’s son, Daryan Warner, was a cooperating witness in the matter.

On March 30, Persad-Bissessar indicated she had instructed Attorney General Anand Ramlogan and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran to seek information from US authorities on the matter.

However, on April 4, Ramlogan said he had not  yet received any response from US Attorney General Eric Holder, whom he had written.

The Attorney General was in South Africa this week to attend the 18th Commonwealth Law Conference, which took place from April 14 to 18.