PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – The leader of the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) Dr. Keith Rowley today called for the immediate dismissal of Works and Transport Minister Austin Jack Warner after the international media reported that the FIFA Ethics Committee had implicated him in a bribery scandal.
Warner, 67, on Monday announced that he had resigned from FIFA as vice president with immediate effect after nearly 30 years with the Zurich-based organization. As a result, football’s governing body dropped all investigations, adding that “the presumption of innocence is maintained”.
Warner and former FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam were suspended amid allegations that they had offered US$40 000 to national associations of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) at a meeting in Trinidad on May 10 and 11, in return for their votes in the FIFA presidential election on June 1.
The London-based Press Association said it had seen the FIFA report indicating that there is “’overwhelming evidence” that Mohamed bin Hammam used bribery in his presidential campaign.
The Ethics Committee also stated that Warner was “an accessory to corruption”.
The full report of the FIFA Ethics Committee headed by Namibian judge Petrus Damaseb said there was “comprehensive, convincing and overwhelming” proof that bribes had been paid to officials to support Bin Hammam’s campaign for the FIFA presidency, and that Warner had facilitated this.
Both Warner, from Trinidad and Tobago, and Qatar’s Bin Hammam, 62, were provisionally suspended on 29 May.
Rowley told reporters that Prime Minister Kamla Paresad Bissessar who has stood by her embattled minister, should now ask for Warner’s resignation..
“We had made it quite clear that his voluntary withdrawal from FIFA was meant to clearly to preserve his position in the Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago which is now wholly untenable since if one if to believe what FIFA is saying that Mr. Warner is implicated in unsavory activity in the organization.
“It is wholly unacceptable for an individual to be so disgraced in an international organization, falling hsort of matters of ethics and integrity and still be allowed to remain as a Cabinet minister,” Rowley said.
He said that this condemnation from FIFA “means that the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago now has a decision to make.
“Will she bend the people of Trinidad and Tobago to accept their lower standard of integrity or will she act in the high and lofty statements made by her and act against an individual who has fallen short of the requirement of office. The ball is now in the Prime Minister’s court,” he added.
Rowley said he also noted that the Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs is still awaiting word from FIFA to his request for assistance in probing the allegations, adding “it is for us to see whether FIFA will cooperate with the Commissioner of Police, sharing with him the facts that they have at their disposal.
“Even if they don’t cooperate there are other avenues the Commission must pursue, “Rowley said noting that the international police organization (INTERPOL) could be asked to help in the matter.
Meanwhile, the Constitution Reform Forum (CRF) has called on Warner to step down noting that the decision by FIFA should in no way determine how Trinidad and Tobago treats with the matter.
It said that serious charges were originally brought by FIFA against Warner and that within those charges is the likelihood that illegal acts may have been committed here.
ICRF said that Trinidad and Tobago Constitution dictates that such charges be legally investigated to determine guilt or innocence of the persons involved and that the option of terminating the prosecution does not apply.
It wants Warner to step down as minister while the investigation is taking place and that should he refuse to step down, the Prime Minister should relieve him of his duties.
“A commitment to the highest standards of integrity and good governance demands no less,” CRF added. (CMC)