Jack Warner General Section Thread.

[lefty]

steups warner needs to shut up if he can't prove his claims with nutten more than his word.....which ent worth crap right about now..............I'll say it again he seems have nothing on the gov't, where d info on Sepp he promise............if he does have sumting serious, it will be easily dismissed by the time he releases it due to his now nonexistent credibility   

[Sando prince]

This whole John Oliver and Jack issue is pathetic. My advice to him is to keep his pathetic comedic battle between himself and Jack, and don't insult Trinidad and Tobago. Show some class

[Flex]

I don’t know Jack
T&T Guardian Reports.

A couple of decades ago, I set off from the Guardian’s offices and walked a few blocks to Jack Warner’s offices higher up St Vincent Street. I was mildly intimidated by the assignment, which was to provide images for a business story by my late friend and colleague, Terry Joseph. I was insulated from much of the impact of my subject’s considerable fame through my lifelong disinterest in sports generally and football in particular.

It was striking to look at the videos featuring Mr Warner which have become part of popular culture recently. I pulled up some scans I’d done from that shoot for my archives, and it was almost surreal how similar his office and desk setup are now to the one I encountered. The technology has marched on and newer gear surrounds him now, but he affects the same sense of a man surrounded by work who confidently keeps it under control with an iron grip and steely will.

In 2006, about 15 years after I’d had my first and only encounter with him, Warner was the vice-president of FIFA, president of Concacaf, a special adviser to the TTFF, a successful businessman and a key political figure as the deputy political leader of the UNC. Today, he is, according to the United States government, a wanted man with an indictment awaiting him should he ever set foot on their soil and a red listed person of interest at Interpol.

In the face of all this deadly seriousness then, it’s a little hard to understand how everything became so bitterly funny. Some of it has to do with Warner’s presence and uniquely Trinidadian approach to things. Whatever else he has been in his life, he offers an intense focus on whoever he happens to be dealing with, as I discovered on that assignment.

Unhappy with the determinedly sedate executive spaces he offered for the photography, I suggested that we head outside to get the plexiglas half-dome of the Concacaf logo and the sharp geometries of the building into the frame. To do this, I had to lie down in the drain just off to his left and he took direction well.

As I walked into his office afterward to collect the remainder of my gear, he reached into a desk drawer and took out a Fifa tie and pin and offered it to me, complimenting me on my approach to my work. For many years afterward, that tie remained a part of my cycle of executive nooses during that phase of my life and a pleasant reminder of my encounter with a great man.

Of course, I didn’t really know jack about Mr Warner, just his reputation and the evidence of my encounter with him. Now, Warner occupies a unique space in the global discussion about Fifa corruption, one that apparently defies even the best comedians. When John Oliver decided to take on Jack Warner on his home turf, his clever, almost reverential assault on the former Fifa honcho never seemed to pick up steam.

At least part of that stemmed from Oliver’s unwillingness to tease the nation that’s tacitly supported Jack Warner for decades, but a large part of it has to do with Warner’s Teflon imperviousness to being the butt of a joke.

John Oliver’s made for global consumption segment on TV6, The Mittens of Disapproval are On, withered in the face of Jack Warner’s home-hewn response, a tour de force of hilarity, which pitted the embattled former executive against his own considerable speech impediment, an incomprehensible script and the swelling roar of music stolen from upcoming composer Greg Dombrowski.

Like one of those truly strange onions that crop up from time to time, Jack Warner resists ready peeling, you get the skin off, think you’re into the meat of the thing, only to find another mutant skin under it. It’s easy now to get all hot and bothered about shame and embarrassment and that nebulous place, “the international stage,” but T&T failed the most basic of questions that an investigator might ask about all of this.

What did we know? How long did we know it? And what did we do about it? The answers, of course, are all of it, all along and nothing. Because even after all these accusations, I really didn’t know Jack and chances are, neither did you.


Jack Warner photographed outside the St Vincent Street offices of Concacaf in the early 1990’s. PHOTO: MARK LYNDERSAY

[Flex]

PM was out of country on April 14, 2013
By Anna Ramdass (Express)

Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner said yesterday that in 24 hours he will speak out on his admission that he was part of a plan to cover up marijuana allegedly found outside a window at Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's Phillipine home on April 12, 2013.

The Prime Minister has denied Warner's allegations, saying it was lies and distractions and he should take any information he has of any wrongdoing to the FBI and local police.

Contacted yesterday on whether he still stood by his sworn affidavit, Warner said: “I much prefer not to comment on this issue at this stage. I will however do so in the next 24 hours.”

On June 6, 2015, Warner submitted a statement to Justice of the Peace Anthony Soulette in which he claimed that on Friday, April 12, 2013, former deputy commissioner of police, Mervyn Richardson, came to the Parliament and informed him (Warner) that a packet containing four ounces of marijuana was found outside a window of Persad-Bissessar's private Phillipine residence.

Warner, who was national security minister at the time, stated he raised the matter with Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal who advised him to contact the Prime Minister who, according to Warner, was in New York at the time.

Warner claimed when he contacted the Prime Minister she was surprised and enquired whether she should return home immediately and resign.

He stated in his sworn affidavit that he told Persad-Bissessar to not resign as he and others—Richardson, Moonilal as well as former national security adviser Gary Griffith —would cover up the ganja find.

Gazette: PM left T&T on April 14

While Warner claims the Prime Minister was abroad, checks by the Express found several media reports as well as the Trinidad and Tobago Gazette indicated Persad-Bissessar left Trinidad for the United States on Sunday, April 14, 2013.

The Trinidad and Tobago Gazette dated April 18, 2013 stated notice was given on April 12, that Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran be appointed to act as Prime Minister effective April 14, 2013 in Persad-Bissessar's absence.

Media reports from the three daily newspapers—Express, Guardian and Newsday—all carried reports that the Prime Minister was scheduled to leave for the United States on April, 14, 2013.

A number of local television station websites and social media sites also carried the same report.

The reports were based on a release from the Office of the Prime Minister which stated the Prime Minister would leave for New York to go to the United Nations headquarters where she was to speak at a debate on “The UN and Global Economic Governance.”

From New York, the Prime Minister went to Washington to attend the OAS Americas-Africa Business Forum where she participated in discussion around the theme of “New Commercial Partnerships for Economic Growth”.

Persad-Bissessar was scheduled to return home on April 20.

Warner resigns as National Security Minister

The Prime Minister had returned home to the heated controversy surrounding the Sir David Simmons Ethics Committee report which accused Warner and former secretary general Chuck Blazer of enriching themselves through fraud during their time with FIFA.

They were accused of failing to disclose that the $25.9m (£17m) Centre of Excellence was built on Warner's land and that Blazer received $20m from Concacaf.

Warner had resigned his role as FIFA vice-president in 2011 after being accused of paying bribes to Caribbean football associations.

On Sunday, April 21, one day after her return, Persad-Bissessar met with Warner at her South Phillipine residence and later that night announced to the media she had accepted his resignation.

Following the axing of Warner the Prime Minister left the country for Canada on April 23-26, 2013 on the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Labour Minister Errol McLeod acted as Prime Minister.

On her return to Trinidad following that trip she was pressed as to whether she was pressured to get rid of Warner, Persad-Bissessar had said, “You know, before they said I was controlled by Mr Warner. I don't know if it's because I am a woman people think that I am weak or something, so I was controlled by Mr Warner, I was his puppet and now I am controlled by some other persons.”

[Flex]

Prove it, Prime Minister!
By Gail Alexander (Guardian).

That’s the challenge thrown out to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday by embattled Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner, who also accused acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams of not speaking the truth on the alleged ganja which Warner claims was discovered on the PM’s property on April 12, 2013.

Warner, who claimed he had spoken to the PM on it at the time while she was in the US, says she must prove she was in T&T and must also prove there was no “weed” in her house.

“...And she must also tell T&T about her closeness to (sacked minister) Anil Roberts and the reason for that,” he added at a Centre of Excellence, Macoya, media briefing yesterday.

He said the PM, Williams and retired deputy commissioner of police Mervyn Richardson were “lying on the matter” and Williams was trying to “cover up for Kamla...”

“Why?” Warner added, calling for Williams to “do his job, go to the (police) station (in question) and take the (station) diary.

“If the deputy commissioner of police doesn’t speak the truth, who will? And he says it’s all about politics,” he said, also accusing Richardson of “doing a good job covering up.”

Warner called the briefing to talk about fall-out following his weekend allegation that four ounces of ganja were allegedly found on a ledge outside a window on the PM’s Palmiste property in 2013.

He claimed Richardson had told him that on April 12, 2013, when it was allegedly found. He was national security minister at the time.

He claimed he called the People’s Partnership’s Dr Roodal Moonilal on it and he suggested Warner speak to the PM, who was in the US.

Warner claimed he spoke to Persad-Bissessar and she asked if she should return home and resign and he prevailed on her not to, while himself Moonilal and Richardson “buried” the matter.

Yesterday, Warner said the PM’s adviser in 2013, Gary Griffith, wasn’t involved in the cover-up but was later told of it. He, however, revealed tapes of conversations on the issue he had with Griffith and who also “bad talked” the PM.

Warner said he always had a “gut feeling” the day would come when he would have to “show T&T who the Prime Minister is, who Richardson is and who Jack Warner is,” so he kept tapes for a day like that.

Warner said he was talking of the alleged ganja issue now since it was time for re-election and Persad-Bissessar “is unfit to be re-elected... this is the tip of the iceberg, I ent start yet!”

He said he didn’t say anything until now since he had been hoping for some kind of investigation to close the chapter and since there was none, he did so.

He also added there was a point in time when he would have given his life for the PM, since he thought she was a victim of the cabal — “Ramlogan, Suruj, Moonilal, Sharma” — and had not replied to PP attacks.

But he said when the US issued an arrest warrant for him and “my Prime Minister tell the AG to sign it and ‘go for him, I said that can’t be the cabal. So my eyes opened and this ‘Teflon’ Prime Minister had to be exposed.”

Warner said he was compelled to speak yesterday because Griffith had called him last Sunday on the ganja story but since then everything had been done to discredit him, including the acting CoP’s statement on the matter.

He also said he was speaking out since Express reporter Denyse Renne had been “demonised”, including by colleagues in the same paper, he claimed, for writing last weekend’s story.

Warner detailed how he called Renne on his way home after he left the Parliament last Friday (when elections were announced).

He said she said she was in Moruga but he told her to wait for him in San Juan, since he had something to give her. He said he met her there later and gave her a June 6, 2015, affidavit he had done by Justice of the Peace Anthony Soulette on the matter.

In defending Renne and saying she was treated unfairly, Warner challenged yesterday’s Express report by Anna Ramdass which stated that according to the T&T Gazette, the appointment of MP Winston Dookeran, who acted for the PM when she went to the US in April 2013, was effective April 14. He claimed the instrument of appointment was issued April 12.

The Chaguanas MP detailed futile efforts he made in seeking records from the VIP Lounge, Foreign Affairs and NY Consulate to ascertain the PM’s location during the period. He said Parliament staff said she was not in Parliament on April 12, 2013.

He added: “It’s not my burden to prove the PM was out of T&T but she has to prove she was in T&T and up to now she hasn’t proved this.”

Warner claimed Richardson showed him a picture on his phone of the alleged ganja evidence. He said it would be easy for TSTT to check Richardson’s phone records on this.

He said he was told the officer in the station in question took a picture but would not name the officer or station and urged the media to follow it up.

He also took issue with a US judge who urged people to support the PM.

Warner said he would be playing the tapes he had compiled at all ILP meetings — in South tomorrow — and will be holding three public meetings weekly.

He said if his revelations had caused so much “confusion and back-biting... wait until the others come out.” He claimed sentry diaries at the Diplomatic Centre residence were also changed.

Warner, who refused to answer football issue queries, said he intended to have his day in court on that and answer there. He denied any Panama trip with a minister in 2010.

Last night there was no statement from the Prime Minister’s office on Warner’s claims. Also contacted by the media last night, Moonilal said he preferred not to comment.

Griffith taped discussing issue

Chaguanas MP Jack Warner said yesterday that after “flawed” reports in the Express and from the acting CoP, he had to use the tapes he allegedly recorded with Griffith to prove his case.

In the first the voice recording, which Griffith yesterday confirmed was his, he said the PM comes to Parliament and stays in her officer there and goes home and that her weekends are from Friday night to Wednesday, so when the PP came to ask for another five years, people had to ask if they wanted a five-day weekend. The voice is also heard telling Warner they both have enough “ammo” on the PP.

In another tape, which Warner claimed was made last weekend, Griffith insisted he was not involved in a cover-up on the weed issue and had not spoken to the PM.

He said the police would have to speak on the issue and the onus was on them — Richardson and Garth Gould — of the Special Branch, to “come clean and admit they” found something.”

Griffith is also heard telling Warner he would not deny that he knew about the issue but could not say it was marijuana.

In a third tape, both continue to debate the matter, with Griffith saying he could not come forward on the matter and Warner is heard asking if he should call reporter Renne and tell her to call Griffith.

In another tape made yesterday morning, Griffith is heard asking Warner if he had heard the acting Cop’s statement on the issue and deciding what to say, with Warner saying: All you have to do Gary is tell the truth.”

Warner also revealed text messages between himself and Griffith.

VIDEO: - Jack Warner's Press Conference (Audio)

[dtool]

This election is a rerun of the movie The Fistful of Dollars

"The Rojos (PNM) on one side of town, the Baxters (PP) on the other, and me (Jack) right in the middle."

I know the end of the movie ...... will the election end the same way?

"A man's life in these parts often depends on a mere scrap of information"

[Deeks]

It still don't make sense to me. The PM was out of the country and the police found 4 oz of weed outside she window. I could imagine Kamla's husband tell she before they go overseas, " Kams baby, don't forget to leave the ganja outside the window for Jack's sparrow to pick up."

[Sando prince]

WARNER RELEASES PHONE RECORDINGS

https://www.facebook.com/CNC3Television/videos/10153407365722996/

Jack Warner has produced phone recordings of a conversation between him and Gary Griffith about the alleged drug find at the prime minister's private home.

[Flex]

Jack claims ganja find at PM’s home not first: ‘Tell the country who Christian is Kamla’
By Kevon Felmine (Guardian).

Independent Liberal Party leader Jack Warner has given Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar two weeks to reveal to the nation who “Christian” is before he does it himself. He made the challenge to Persad-Bissessar at a cottage meeting at Embacadere, San Fernando, last night as he continued to question the circumstances surrounding marijuana found at her Philippine, San Fernando residence in 2013.

Warner again threatened to expose the PM until the eve of the September 7 general elections, saying that the issue of marijuana being found at her residence was a small issue compared to the other files he plans to release on her. “We have bacchanal until September 6 and it will get bigger and bigger. When I buss the last one, who ain’t dead, badly wounded. Kamla has to be exposed,” Warner said.

He continued, “Kamla, tell this country who is Christian and if you can’t remember, ask the special reserve police officer, his name is Jit Hardeen. He will tell you who is Christian. And Kamla, if in two weeks time you don’t tell us, I will tell you.”

Warner also questioned whether there were other discoveries of marijuana at the PM’s home, as he said former DCP Mervyn Richardson had showed him a picture of the marijuana found in a window sill at her home, but noted that in a release the PM had given another location and amount. He added that former national security minister Gary Griffith also spoke about “two joints” during a radio interview yesterday.

The Chaguanas MP said Persad-Bissessar had violated the sanctity of a prime minister’s home, as there has been no other leader in the Commonwealth where marijuana had been found at their home. He claimed Persad-Bissessar was also the only person who had a five-day weekend, as she has been going home every Friday and returning to Port-of-Spain on Wednesday within recent years. He alleged whenever she could not resume work in Port-of-Spain, she would call Cabinet meetings in San Fernando on Thursdays.

Also commenting on the resignation of former Congress of the People (COP) leader Winston Dookeran, he said it was a little too late. He said the COP had failed because Dookeran gave the party to Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar, who was the lawyer of Dole Chadee, a former notorious drug lord.

[Flex]

Griffith: Police dropped the ball.
By Gail Alexander (Guardian)

Head of Special Branch Senior Supt Gary Gould said yesterday the investigator probing the discovery of marijuana at the prime minister’s property in 2013 would deal with whatever issue arose regarding a report on the matter. Gould headed the Special Branch in 2013 when the drugs were found.

He had submitted a report to the acting Police Commissioner on Tuesday—just prior to a news conference on the issue by Independent Liberal Party (ILP) political leader Jack Warner—that five grammes of a plant-like material resembling marijuana was found by a member of the Special Branch in a plastic bag in the male washroom of a gazebo on the western end of the PM’s Phillipine residence on April 19, 2013, around 8.50 am.

Warner has said he was informed by former deputy commissioner of police Mervyn Richardson on April 12, 2013, of the discovery of four ounces of weed on a ledge outside a window of the PM’s house. He said an officer had taken a photo of the find and he urged the media to check the police station and diary on the matter. Contacted yesterday, Gould declined questions, saying: “I’m not in a position to discuss anything on the matter.”

Yesterday, Warner, when asked about the difference in details given by himself and the police report, said: “The police say they discovered material ‘resembling that of marijuana’ in the male toilet of the PM's Phillipine home on April 19. I say that members of the PM’s security detail discovered four ounces of marijuana on the ground outside a window of the PM’s Phillipine home on April 12.

“The PM in her two-paragraph release refers to something ‘found on the common grounds outside of my residence’ etc, and that she was out of the country. Don’t tell me that you don’t see the contradictions here and that this matter is getting messier and messier because of the series of lies that are being offered by the minute.”

 Former national security minister Gary Griffith also said someone in the police service “dropped the ball” on the matter since an analysis of the “plant-like substance” should have been done at the time which would have ascertained whether it was an illegal substance. “Or at least it should have been by now,” he added. He maintained it was for the police to comment on the issue.

Griffith said he would have been out of place to try to speak to the police on any matter as that would have usurped the then national security minister’s authority. Warner was national security minister during that period. He said Warner just mentioned the issue to him, probably as hearsay, not for Griffith to have acted on since it would have been the minister who liased with the Prime Minister on such a matter.

On Tuesday, Griffith confirmed he had attempted to speak to Warner to make peace between the ILP and People’s Partnership (PP). Warner, at his earlier media conference, said United National Congress officials and a Congress of the People emissary had been holding talks with him in the last four months to try to restore his relationship with the PP. Warner had claimed this was to make him the “poster boy for the East-West corridor.”

[Flex]

PM says ‘Christian’ lives next door: Jack delusional
By Sascha Wilson (Guardian).

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says she has a neighbour named Christian Gokool but to her knowledge he has never received any Government contracts.

Also responding to Independent Liberal Party leader Jack Warner’s questions on whether there were at least three drug finds in 2013  at he home at Philippine, San Fernando, Persad-Bissessar said Warner was “delusional.”

She said so yesterday as she responded to Warner’s claims, at a cottage meeting at Embacadere, San Fernando, on Wednesday night.

During his speech, Warner spoke about the 2013 alleged marijuana find and questioned whether there were more than what was confirmed by the police. He also gave Persad-Bissessar two weeks to tell the nation who “Christian” was.

Interviewed by reporters following the sod-turning of the Housing Development Corporation and Republic Bank’s Carlton Lane Housing Project yesterday, Persad-Bissessar said Warner needed to be more specific because she knew several “Christians”.

“I do not know which “Christian” he is speaking about so we await his words,” she first said.

But asked by reporters if Warner may have be referring to Christian Gokool, she said: “Oh yes, that name is familiar to me. In fact, Christian Gokool is my neighbour at the Philippine residence, one of the properties next door belongs to him, his father and his wife.”

Asked if Gokool was a recipient of Government contracts, she replied: “Not to my knowledge that Mr Gokool has received any government contract. I am not aware of any such contract.”

Told that Warner was also questioning whether marijuana was in fact found three times on her premises and not once as confirmed by the police, Persad-Bissessar said:

“Mr Warner is delusional, quite frankly. There is something that says he who alleges must prove and I await Mr Warner to prove any of the allegations that he has made.

“If it is that the police have reported something was found there fine, the police is investigating that, go ahead.

“Mr Warner said I was in New York (April) 12 (2013). I could hold up my passport to you and show I left the country on the (April) 14 (2013), so now he is shifting the goalpost at every single moment, shifting the dates. I think he is delusional, quite frankly.”

She suggested that reporters ask Warner why he resigned the day after she returned to the country.

But speaking at a political meeting in La Brea last night, Warner again stuck to his guns on the claim, saying he had given the PM two weeks to say who Christian is or he would. He said if the People’s Partnership believed he was bluffing they could wait until the time passed and he would deliver the bombshell if they did not.

Resignation claim false

Persad-Bissessar also denied asking Warner if she should resign after the marijuana was allegedly found.

“Of course not. I have gone through five years of office with people calling upon me to resign every day. Would I ask someone if I should resign? No... totally not true.”

Reiterating  she was not aware of the marijuana find in 2013, she said when the report came about it she felt horrified and very disturbed.

“The report speaks to a point in my premises which is like hundreds of yards away. it is way out.

“I have no control of that part of my premises, no direct control. It is in fact under the control of police, soldiers, other workers, Special Branch... they have control of those portions of the premises,” she added.

Told that Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley had said the easiest way for her to end that was to say she did not smoke marijuana, she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana.

“I think he might be high when he asked that question,” she replied.

Persad-Bissessar also said people were not foolish and she did not believe anyone in the country thought Warner could become prime minister but noted the people would decide on September 7.

[AB.Trini]

Charades or facts? Innuendoes or  facts?  I think is time that the nation be presented with an open disclosure of what is ,  as opposed to being subjected each day with what is appearing to be sensationalism and political manuvering and jockeying  for political gains.

[lefty]

Local banks and dirty $$ dealings.
By Camini Marajh (Express)

For over a decade, indicted football jefe and former high ranking government minister Austin Jack Warner sold tens of millions of US dollars to legitimate local businesses in contravention of the Exchange Control laws of this country.

Those currency trades involving alleged dirty money were done through several local banks which have come under scrutiny of US prosecutors investigating a US$150 million world football bribery scheme.

That Warner used several local banks to conduct his business, had a plethora of bank accounts, conducted cash raids on football accounts under his control or sloshed funds through a maze of parallel football and personal bank accounts is not new.

Those details were revealed in a special investigative series published in this newspaper two years ago.

New and significant, however, is the possible money laundering local banks allowed to take place, according to a US law enforcement source with knowledge of the situation.

New questions are being asked about the banks compliance measures; customer due diligence and record keeping in connection with the well-known international football figure and former acting prime minister whose high public-profile automatically placed him on a financial institutions PEP (politically exposed person) watch-list for a higher degree of financial scrutiny.

US investigators are looking into how tens of millions of US dollars were banked, shifted around and then disappeared altogether and why the local financial system, including the banks, Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) and Central Bank regulators failed so dramatically to flag possible decades-old money laundering, tax evasion and other financial crimes allegedly committed by Warner.

Maze of bank accounts

In laying out a sweeping corruption case against 14 defendants, including Warner, US prosecutors have detailed allegations of corrupt transactions and kickbacks going through a maze of bank accounts in dozens of different jurisdictions over two decades involving top officials in football’s governing body, FIFA.

From Switzerland and Qatar to Trinidad and Tobago and the Cayman Islands, a substantial number of those corrupt transactions passed through the local banking system, according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), despite tightened and stringent anti-money laundering (AML) and terrorist financing rules issued by the global intergovernmental body, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which came into force in 2010.

What is emerging from the US DOJ investigation into the FIFA corruption scandal is a portrait of failed regulation which Warner used to enrich his family business empire. US sources, speaking on condition of strict anonymity, revealed that ongoing criminal investigations have turned up a series of suspicious banking activity at three local banks, specifically State-owned First Citizens (FCB), Intercommercial Bank Ltd (IBL) and Republic Bank Ltd (RBL).

Investigators are said to have flagged the routing of millions of dollars from football accounts held at RBL to private-Warner controlled accounts at FCB.

Warner is said to have emptied out millions from Concacaf, Caribbean Football Union (CFU) and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) bank accounts via USD bank drafts made payable to FCB.

US$2 million in USD bank drafts

Banking sources say this sort of circuitous cash transfers via a payee account in the name of a bank is highly “unusual”.

Ved Seereeram, a former Citi-banker and financial analyst said: “At best, it is a suspicious transaction. The bank should not allow it.” Close to US$2 million of these transactions are said to have passed through FCB’s accounts, according to sources.

On June 12, Sharon Christopher, deputy CEO in charge of corporate administration at FCB, declined to comment on the specific question relating to RBL-issued USD bank drafts made payable to the state-owned bank.

Her stock response to questions relating to FCB’s role in the unfolding Warner corruption story was: “First Citizens is a financial institution that conducts its affairs in strict accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which we operate, including anti-money laundering laws. Accordingly, First Citizens will not knowingly facilitate any criminal activity whatsoever, including money laundering.”

Larry Howai, who traded in his CEO job at the national bank in 2012 for a government post in Finance as Minister of the Economy and on whose watch a lot of these US-flagged transactions took place, responded this way to whether FCB was perhaps overly accommodating to the former government minister: “Transactions are handled by branch or unit that is dealing with any account not by executive so I would not be familiar with any transaction. I am sure that the bank would have at all times observed procedures.”

On the question of whether FCB followed regulatory practices as required by the FATF-issued AML-regime, Howai, who left FCB with a golden handshake, said: “I know that the bank established an Operational Risk Unit to ensure compliance with regulators so it would be unlikely that it did not comply.”

Theft of Haiti money

US sources say Warner used an array of tactics to camouflage his alleged theft of football funds including US$750,000 in emergency aid intended for earthquake-devastated Haiti in 2010.

FIFA’s donation of US$250,000 was wire transferred into a TTFF account at RBL on January 18, 2010. A second donation of US$500,000 from the Korean Football Association was paid into a Concacaf account at RBL on February 4, 2010.

Approximately US$700,000 of that emergency relief money ended up in Warner’s pocket, according to sources. About US$155,000 was sold in currency trades to the JTA Group and International Shipping Ltd (ISL). Another $100,000 was routed through a Daryan Warner company called, We Buy Houses.

Warner’s two sons, Daryan and Daryll, have also been indicted by US prosecutors on corruption charges related to the FIFA bribery case. Both have pleaded guilty to a variety of fraud and money-laundering charges. Only US$50,000 of the emergency aid money destined for the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere reached the Haitian football federation.

During his heyday when he ruled the football world – he had effective control of Concacaf, CFU, TTFF and Loc Germany— ­­ Warner is reported to have controlled 79 USD and TT accounts held in local banks.

The accounts were held in the names of miscellaneous and parallel privately-owned companies, football bodies and personal accounts held in his name.

FCB has refused to comment on reports that it has stonewalled a court order for the production of bank records or that it provided deficient information relating to Warner-conducted transactions, including a lack of supporting documents on wire transfers and source of funds declarations.

The bank’s deputy CEO, Christopher, maintained: “We are bound by the laws of client confidentiality from discussing any matter related to any person/entity who may conduct business with us.”

The bin Hammam bribe

Still, the growing stockpile of evidence shows that Warner moved tens of millions of US dollars around the local banks with apparent ease.

In the case of the US$1.2 million kickback from football pal and Qatari billionaire Mohamed bin Hammam, it took two failed wire transfer attempts through international correspondent banks before the money was paid directly to a Warner Intercommercial bank account.

US banks twice red-flagged the transaction and demanded a more detailed explanation for the US$1.2 million wire transfer payment to the two Warner boys and personal Warner assistant from bin Hammam’s private company, Khalid Electrical and Mechanical Est (kemco) in July 2011.

As reported previously, bin Hammam also failed in a second attempt to send the money to Warner’s Cayman account in the name of J&D International.

He succeeded on the third try to Intercommercial Bank Chaguanas branch. Former CEO of IBL, Krishna Boodhai, the last director standing in Clico, refused comment when contacted by the Sunday Express. “I have absolutely no comment to make on this matter,” he said.

US authorities have reportedly flagged a number of transactions at the Indian-owned bank, including the bin Hammam US$1.2 million kickback paid to Warner for arranging the 2011 cash-for-votes CFU meeting at the Hyatt hotel in Port of Spain.

Warner has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has just as often refused to provide any explanation about any of the allegations made against him. He has also proclaimed his innocence on US charges of wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering.

Millions in $100 bills

Huge cash deposits in TT$100 bills made to a personal bank account at Intercommercial are said to be engaging the attention of investigators following Warner’s money trail.

In the six month period between September 2012 and February 2013, Warner, then the minister of national security, is reported to have deposited TT$2.5 million in cash. The source of funds is listed as commercial rental income from the disputed Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence (CoE) and other unnamed businesses.

The Sunday Express was told Warner banked more than TT$9 million in cash 100 bills to one of six Intercommercial bank accounts between August 2011 (following his resignation from all football bodies in the wake of the bin Hammam bribery scandal) and January last year.

Source of funds filings list the cash deposits as “rental income from property”.

Banking sources say the cash deposits raise an obvious red flag. They say the large cash deposits usually come from supermarkets and casinos. The CoE derives its income from trade shows, concerts, conferences and weddings, among other things.

New CEO at IBL, Nigel Romano, insists that Intercommercial has complied with all of the requirements of the AML regime but was unable to comment on specific transactions because of client confidentiality. “Under the law we cannot tell you we flagged specific transactions,” he said, saying, “We feel very comfortable that we have complied and did what we were supposed to do.”

Asked if IBL was comfortable accepting bin Hammam’s money after US banks twice refused it in 2011, he said Intercommercial was not informed of those prior attempts to wire funds from Doha, Qatar.

He said Intercommercial was not informed by the international correspondent banks of the failed attempts and noted that: “It is something we will have to take up.”

Suspicious bank activity

He said Intercommercial was scrupulous in its record keeping and “sometimes go further” and ask customers for documentation to support the source of funds declarations.

Without giving any details, Romano said there have been instances when the bank rejected transactions and made the requisite suspicious activity report to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) which last year reported 617 suspicious transactions, up from the previous year’s figure of 554.

Romano declined to talk about the large cash deposits made by Warner, saying only that Intercommercial always try to up its game in relation to PEP or high risk customers.

Intercommercial account number 373 498 0401 in the name of Jack Warner also received cheque payments from the Chaguanas West Constituency Office. Warner is the Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West and is said to be the sole signatory of the RBL held bank account, said sources.

Another transaction under scrutiny of US prosecutors is the US$10 million bribe payment made to a Warner-created dummy programme called the African diaspora legacy in exchange for votes in favour of South Africa hosting the 2010 World Cup.

Bribe from South Africa

Three wire transfers from FIFA’s UBS account in Zurich, Switzerland, were paid into two Warner-controlled football accounts at Republic Bank Ltd (RBL), namely CFU and Concacaf. And as reported previously by this newspaper, a significant portion of the 2008 kickback went towards settling credit card debt and a personal loan, among other things. More than half of the SA bribe was disposed of in currency trade sales with JTA and ISL.

Chairman of RBL Ronald Harford said Republic was “reviewing transactions one by one to see if there was any laxity in any way”.

Michelle Palmer-Keizer, another RBL official said a lot of the transactions under review by US authorities, including the FIFA US$10 million deposit predated the AML rules. She said, however, the bank has red- flagged transactions and have had follow-up enquiries from the FIU and the police Financial Investigations Bureau (FIB).

A legal source, who preferred not to be quoted, said the FIU should be given investigatory and prosecutorial powers to go after white collar criminals. The agency operates as a repository for suspicious activity reports. Investigations are conducted by the FIB whose head, Superintendent Wendy Wilkinson said the agency’s secrecy rules prohibits her from saying anything.

There have been little or no convictions for white collar crime in Trinidad and Tobago.

[lefty]

maybe dis fiasco might force we to change d smart man culture we love to glorify so much

[Bitter]

maybe dis fiasco might force we to change d smart man culture we love to glorify so much

You post this in the wrong place. Try here: http://www.socawarriors.net/forum/index.php?board=8.0 

[weary1969]

maybe dis fiasco might force we to change d smart man culture we love to glorify so much

You post this in the wrong place. Try here: http://www.socawarriors.net/forum/index.php?board=8.0 

CO-SIGNNNNN

[lefty]

maybe dis fiasco might force we to change d smart man culture we love to glorify so much

You post this in the wrong place. Try here: http://www.socawarriors.net/forum/index.php?board=8.0 

boy!

[Flex]

Kamla: I refused to be blackmailed.
By Anika Gumbs (Express).

BLACKMAIL

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar said last night corruption accused Jack Warner is releasing tapes because she refused to be blackmailed in exchange for his reinstatement to the Cabinet.

Persad-Bissessar said she was made aware of the information on the tape immediately following the resignation of Warner as national security minister, but refused to give in to his demands and give him back his job.

This particular tape, featuring allegations of corruption against former minister of the people Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh and his instructions to Kristyan Gokool to go to her official St Ann's residence (which he has denied), was made on August 2013, about four months after Warner resigned from the Government.

Responding to questions sent by the Express yesterday by text, enquiring whether she was privy to the information on the audio tapes before it was aired by Warner, Persad-Bissessar said: “Yes. Immediately after he had resigned from my Cabinet on my request, when in the face of damning allegations about FIFA (including the Sir David Simmons Report), I requested that he go and clear his name. I was made aware of what was being alleged, in an effort to blackmail me into taking him back into Government. Indeed, the allegations featured in the Chaguanas by-election.”

Contrived and bogus allegations

Pressed on her blackmail statement, Persad-Bissessar said: “In light of all of these bogus and contrived allegations, what am I left to assume? As you are aware, he has been bragging that he has files on members of my Government, and immediately after his resignation and more recently, he has been coming to the public with contrived and bogus allegations. He asked to be reinstated in his Government position or else he will bring down my entire Government.”

Former minister of national security minister Gary Griffith is on record as saying he held informal talks with Warner to bridge the gap between him and the People's Partnership.

When the Express contacted Warner yesterday, asking if he attempted to use the recording to get back his job or form an alliance with the Partnership in the upcoming elections, he denied doing this.

Warner said: “I never ever bargained with Ms Persad-Bissessar or anyone else re these disclosures. There are only three people who I have given a copy of the tape—the Integrity Commission, about two years ago; a lawyer, three weeks ago; and Mark Bassant (TV6 reporter), two weeks ago. Kamla has no favours that I want, now or ever. Finally, I do wish to reiterate to the national community that the worst is yet to come.

“I never sent emissaries at any­ time to talk with Kamla but she did, and let her deny that and I will prove it.”

Arrest a plot by Partnership

Warner resigned as national security minister on April 21, 2013, following a damning report from chairman of the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Associations o Football) Integrity Committee Sir David Simmons, which revealed multimillion-dollar financial mismanagement by Warner and former Concacaf general secretary Chuck Blazer. Both men have been indicted by the United States on corruption charges.

Warner is on $2.5 million bail to cover eight criminal charges, on which he and 14 people are wanted in the United States in connection with allegations of bribery, money laundering, corruption and wire- fraud conspiracy, arising out of investigations conducted by the US government into operations at FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association).

But according to Warner, his arrest was a plot by the Partnership to silence him in the upcoming general election.

Declaring on May 27 “the gloves are off”, Warner also blamed the Partnership for him spending the night at the Frederick Street prison after he was unable to secure bail.

Since then, Warner has held two news conferences, airing voice recordings directly aimed at Persad-Bissessar and the People's Partnership.

Warner, who first made the claim of a marijuana find at Persad-Bissessar's private Phillipine residence, held a news conference on June 16 to defend his claim, insisting she was out of the country at the time of the discovery and wanted to resign when told of the discovery.

Persad-Bissessar has denied wanting to resign her job as Prime Minister and described Warner as “delusional”.

Warner also threw out the question “Who is Kristyan?” to Persad- Bissessar last Wednesday, at a political meeting in San Fernando.

Warner said: “Kamla, for your sake and the country sake, tell them who is Kristyan. That is all. Tell the country who is Kristyan, Kamla. I go further to tell you to tell Jit Hardeen, a special reserve police (SRP) offi­cer; ask him to tell us who is Kristyan because if she does not and he does not in two weeks' time I will.”

Persad-Bissessar has said Kristyan Gokool is her neighbour and has attended functions at her home and the official residence at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's.

Investigations by the Express have found Gokool bought a $6 million mansion next door to Persad-Bissessar's private Phillipine residence but has never lived in the house.

Persad-Bissessar has denied knowing Hardeen but said she was informed he was the driver of Ramadharsingh.

PM, Hardeen lash Jack.
By Gail Alexander (Guardian)

Immediate dismissals from Jitnarine Hardeen and the Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

That’s what embattled Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner received yesterday following his latest tapes, alleged to be former minister Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh’s former driver Hardeen doing a wide-ranging “expose” on alleged People’s Partnership intrigue and corruption, including involving the Prime Minister.

During a news conference at the Normandie, St Ann’s, Warner played the tapes, focusing on the Kristyan Gokool matter, again claiming he had to warn T&T about the Prime Minister, since she was “unfit for office.”

“The Prime Minister says Kristyan Gokool is her neighbour I’m saying they are more than neighbourly,” Warner claimed.

However, when contacted on Warner’s tapes later, an angry sounding Hardeen said: “That is not my voice on any tape! It is a total fabrication.

“There will be a response from me on this very soon, That’s all I have to say for now.”

Hardeen added on what action he would take against Warner.

Persad-Bissessar, in an immediate response to Warner’s various claims, also dismissed the allegation, saying last night they are “more delusional claims which my lawyers will deal with.

“He (Warner) has to answer to the US Attorney General and the FBI for his racketeering, money laundering and fraudulent wire transfers, so he seeks to come out of his box with these delusional claims.”

Asked yesterday by reporters if he had any information to verify it was Hardeen on the tapes, Warner said if the need arose for other evidence “they shall be produced.”

Warner said he had given the same tapes to the Integrity Commission since 2013 and the tapes allegedly told of “sleaze, graft, corruption, sexual misconduct and misbehaviour in public office.”

Asked if he had made a complaint to the commission about the PM and Ramadharsingh—on which his claims focussed—Warner said he gave the Integerity Commission the tapes and said “...make your own judgement... I don’t have to make a complaint.” He said he didn’t go to the police as the police may have been compromised.

Warner said after two years nothing had happened and when he checked the commission a year ago, the body said they had to match Hardeen’s voice with the tape through overseas sources.

He complained at length that while the commission had failed to deal with the matter, it wanted to ask him questions and had sought a tribunal to investigate him.

On the alleged “Hardeen tape,” Warner claimed Hardeen detailed allegations in a taped session at Warner’s office in Arouca on August 8, 2013, where the police officer came “of his own volition.”

Warner resigned from Government in April 2013 under fire for alleged corruption after a Concacaf probe.

Playing 17 minutes of an alleged 90-minute tape yesterday, Warner was heard instructing the person to state his name and address.

The person gives Hardeen’s name. Warner is then heard asking the person to tell him about the minister’s “houses, the corruption, apartments, the deals they make, with Danny’s son going through security, tell me everything, tell me everything...”

The person on the tape starts off with allegations about Ramadharsingh, in which Warner’s voice can be heard also interjecting and summarising information.

The voice claimed on one night he was told to go to a nearby hotel to collect someone, as “Dip Centre security wouldn’t let them enter with their private vehicle.”

The person claimed it was a “fair-skinned Indian fella.” They claimed the DC security “saw someone in the backseat and knew I left without anyone.” The voice claimed the security sought the person’s name and it was given.

The person claimed the passenger “said he was the assistant to the PM’s husband, Greg, and he came to pick up some clothes.”

The person on the tape claimed authorisation to enter was given and around 2.30 am someone allegedly came out and said “it was time for us to go home, Kristyan can fix up now...”

Warner alleged to reporters that the Diplomatic Centre sentry diaries were changed to hide this matter.

Warner also said he had heard “they” had contacted Hardeen to swear to an affidavit to say what was on the tapes was false.

He claimed Hardeen subsequently called him three times and he taped all three calls on June 1, June 9 and June 16, 2015.

He played those tapes of the voice, purportedly of Hardeen, in which the caller asked if Warner had (on the platform) asked if “Kristyan” ever spent a night by the PM residence” and saying Warner didn’t want to meet him.

“You know they watching me... they watching me, from the time I enter (the Centre of Excellence) they go lick me up, you know that,” the voice said.

I have more tapes—Jack

After this, he claimed a good friend of the PM sought a meeting with him at the Works Ministry and allegedly accused Warner of bias towards Jusamco and Coosals in getting contracts.

Warner alleged that in 2011 the PM shut down the Ministry of Works’ PURE unit for an audit because of complaints from that friend. He claimed contracts had to be approved by her, “which made things testy” between them and in June 2012 he was transferred to National Security.

Warner claimed there were more tapes and while he would not play them each week, he would decide when prudently and then “more Special Branch officers will have to resign.”

The person taped also alleged a former minister had six houses and he was responsible for making payments, that monies allegedly came from a well known government contractor, including $3 million in four months, and that two named ministry managers were aware of the situation.

The person alleged the government contractor “benefitted from URP programmes, had 52 companies and got 70 per cent of URP and the former minister’s brother became adviser to another minister, whose appointment the former minister knew about before the PM announced it.

The person also claimed a minister’s relative managed a government-run social programme in Sangre Grande.

The person alleged a former minister got a “$2 million kickback” from the Preysal Interchange but this was put in UNC’s accounts as the minister “stole” money from UNC’s 2010 campaign.

The taped voice claimed UNC general secretary Dave Tancoo was told of the situation and he told the PM.

He offered me $.25m to lie.
By Renuka Singh (Guardian).

Hardeen counters Jack’s claim:

Special Reserve Police Officer Jitnarine Hardeen is denying outright that it is his voice heard on a recording played for the media by Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner yesterday. Hardeen issued a legal letter to Warner yesterday threatening action.

“There is no truth in any of these allegations nor the contents of any of your statements, nor the contents of the tape or tapes,” Hardeen said through his lawyer.

Hardeen, who was the retained driver for former minister of social development Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh, yesterday countered Warner’s damning recording of telephone conversations, alleging that Warner in fact offered him some $250,000 to agree that the voice on tape was his.

In a three-page legal letter, Hardeen’s attorney, Dennis Rampersad, picked apart Warner’s tape, denying every bit of the alleged conversation between Hardeen and Warner.

Hardeen, through his lawyer, confirmed he has been in contact with Warner but said it was Warner who “tried to influence him to unlawfully and illegally accept that he is the voice on these tapes and the provider of the information thereon.”

“In fact, you would recall that you offered my client the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to be part of your nefarious and sinister conspiracy to defame innocent persons. My client has consistently refused to be part of any untrue plot to defame innocent persons,” the letter stated.

The letter added that at Warner’s request, Hardeen was interviewed by Frederick John.

“And you are aware that he confirmed officially that he was not the voice on the tape and that the contents of any tape has nothing to do with my client,” the letter stated.

On one of the recordings played by Warner, the voice claims to have collected as much as $3 million as kickbacks for contracts awarded through Ramadharsingh’s former ministry.

“My client denies that he ever picked up any money from anyone for any illicit purposes. He has never received $3,000,000 from anyone or at all,” Hardeen said through his lawyer.

Hardeen also denied any knowledge of a relationship between Kristyan Gokool and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, as alleged on the recordings played by Warner.

“My client is of the view that your statements are maliciously untrue and calculated to bring him into disrepute, odium and contempt among right thinking members of society,” the lawyer said.

“Your statements are calculated to defame my client and wrongfully accuse him of being involved in criminal matters.

“My client confirms that he has no knowledge of what is on the tapes in your possession or that the telephone number that you have mentioned publicly is his or belongs to him,” he added.

Ramadharsingh is also threatening legal action against TV6 for airing snippets of the same tapes played by Warner.

In a statement yesterday, he said, “I listened with amazement at the defamatory statement made on TV6’s television report entitled “The Hardeen Expose” aired on Monday 22nd June, 2015. I have expressed my horror that such an untrue statement was made.

“While I understand the need for free press, it must be a free and responsible press. Also, I have taken note that no one exercised the simple courtesy of a call for a comment on this matter.

“It is remarkable and I hope that they can prove that I was involved in bribing someone or got someone to change a statement or make a statement that was false. I have always supported the truth but it appears that the truth in this matter will emerge in the courts, as clearly the need for financial gain trumps professionalism and responsible journalism.”

Both Ramadharsingh and Hardeen are represented by the same attorney and it was Ramadharsingh’s secretary who issued Hardeen’s legal letter to the media last night.

When the T&T Guardian contacted Hardeen to find out the connection between the two, Hardeen quickly disconnected the call and refused to respond to subsequent attempts to reach him.

In a text exchange with Warner yesterday, the former national security minister called on Hardeen to sue him if any of the information he released was untrue.

“Well let them sue me,” Warner said.

Warner has been given 24 hours to respond to the legal letter.

[Flex]

He vowed to bring down PP.
By Yvonne Webb (Guardian).

PM offers reason for Jack’s attack...

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says her party’s former chairman, now “arch nemesis,” Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner, cried like a baby when she demanded his letter of resignation in 2013 and instructed him to clear his name. But she asserted she was a strong woman and all of his current lies and fabrications against her would not make her cry.

“I tell you, this woman no cry. This woman will not cry, will never cry,” she said as she boasted of her strength as a woman during a United National Congress cottage meeting in the Oropouche East constituency on Tuesday night. Revealing details previously unknown to the public, Persad-Bissessar said when she demanded Warner’s resignation after the Sir David Simmonds’ Concacaf report, he (Warner) asked for seven more days but she refused.

“He swore he will do everything he could to take down my Government but we have stood strong. We have stood tall and we will continue to stand,” she said. The PM’s statement came hours after Warner released another tape at a press conference in Port-of-Spain, which he claimed allegedly told of “sleaze, graft, corruption, sexual misconduct and misbehaviour in public office” arising out of an alleged incident at the Diplomatic Centre in 2013.

Shrugging off Warner’s allegations once again, the PM said her strength and gender, plus the fact that she fired him, had him angry and delusional. “I formed a government in 2010 and I did my best to ensure that we delivered and when ministers failed they were sacked. I do not apologise for that.

“I am a woman and I am strong. He cannot handle that. The first female prime minister I am of this very great nation and so he resents my gender, he does not respect the office I hold and that is not an insult just to me, it is an insult to the people of Trinidad and Tobago and every woman of Trinidad and Tobago,” she added.

She said he was delusional “because he knows for a fact that he cannot overthrow me and I have refused every of his attempts to control and to influence me.” Saying she was fed up with the “gruesome twosome”—Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley and Warner—Persad-Bissessar said she was ready to fight them both “any time, anywhere, any day and beat them.”

She said she would stand and fight like a mother whose child was in danger for her country. She said she would not play into their hands and be distracted by their lies and allegations.

Kamla Not afraid of attacks

Persad-Bissessar said her focus ahead of the September 7 general election would be on issues, rolling out her Government’s plans, policies and programmes to continue to build a new Trinidad and Tobago. She said the People’s National Movement (PNM) had no plans or programmes, that is why they were fabricating lies and allegations against her Government which had outperformed every single government in the history of T&T.

Taking a cue from Warner, Persad-Bissessar took off the gloves and took aim at her former Cabinet colleague and “his sidekick Mr Rowley”, saying their stories were becoming more bizarre, wild and delusional each week but she will not play out their script. “My lawyers will deal with their lies and fabrications. I will not play into their script because this is now becoming like ‘stay tuned.’

“You remember the series on TV, Peyton Place? They say ‘Stay tuned next week... coming soon to a theatre near you’ is the latest in the episode in the series of a man on the list of the most wanted men in the world,” she added.

She told the audience, which included former finance minister Gerald Yetming and  former Senate president Timothy Hamel-Smith, that Warner, “is like a Jack in a box who is trying to jump out of the box and that box is that he must answer for racketeering, he must answer for wire fraud transfer, he must answer for money laundering and those charges are not by us here, those charges come from every country around the world.”

She had the audience laughing when she said she had one good thing to say about Warner and that was he did not discriminate. “He does not discriminate. He took money from every continent in the world, including right here in the Caribbean... from Haiti,” she said. Saying her Government will win the September 7 election and her seat will be the first to be declared for the UNC, she also took aim at Rowley, saying he was bitter because she fought him with the Emailgate matter and cleared her name.

She called on Rowley to clear the air on the statement attributed to the Laventille PNM candidate Fitzgerald Hinds about “people like alligators in a lagoon.” “You never condemned the Calcutta ship statement in Tobago and now today your members are speaking about alligators in a lagoon. “Well, let me tell you, I planted rice, like many of you, in a lagoon. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what matters is where you are going and where you are,” she added.

[AB.Trini]

Ummmm - woe is me shame and scandal in the family- why dont't you go nah,
Once more - we read of clever attempts to lure the opposition into an us and them attack - these innuendoes of ethnic overtones designed to incite lines of demarcation has been evident throughout this government- never have I witnessedthe magnitude of a leader bent on governing by focusing on the other rather than onthe inner actions and workings of the cabinet? Go down memory lane
 First appointment by PM - ah Gyul withfalse pers to wuck insecurity
A minister squandering Money Ina LifeSports program
AnActing COP who making all the big issues priorities but EH solve none- juice cans DS murder- guns missing from Police Center- the list goes on
Yuh AG - PRISONGATE
Let we EH talk about all this nah  - just go nah-
Attacks attacks -dog does bark the loudest when dey in dey own yard!  This past five years have created more political disillusionment than I have ever seen before and until some  of the bigger issue se get solved there will be no reason to think that one party has the upper hand.
If this government want to save face - someone comeoutand reveal why all the LifeSport personel has been silenced - what happen to the lady who hade diencephalic? Who was placed Ina safe house?  What ever happened to the "big fish"?  What happened to all the talk of FBI investigation intone juice an drug find?
Robertsgonequietly - AG gone quietly - but the ills that me do lives after them the good is often buried. I say to get any measure of credit this leader could truly stand up from attacks  make anamea du earthtne truth behind all the unresolved pieties of mail during this government's tenure.

[Flex]

Jack on Kamla’s statement: No tears from me
T&T Guardian Reports.

Independent Liberal Party (ILP) political leader Jack Warner says statements made by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that he cried when he was asked to leave the government in 2013 are false.

Addressing supporters at an ILP cottage meeting in Indian Walk, Moruga, on Wednesday night, Warner said he never cried. While speaking to United National Congress (UNC) supporters in Debe on Tuesday, Persad-Bissessar said Warner cried when asked to leave office in 2013.

“She said I cried. The only time I remember any tears between Kamla and me was when she was crying in Cabinet over Reshmi. She was saying she had been set up,” Warner said.

He was referring to the appointment of Reshmi Ramnarine, a junior technician, to lead the Strategic Services Agency, a covert unit set up in 2011 to monitor criminal activities. Ramnarine was later fired because she was unqualified for the job.

“Cabinet had to be adjourned. If you see ‘snatty’ nose. She was crying. That was the only tears between Kamla and me,” he said. Warner said he volunteered to leave the government and was not asked to do so as Persad-Bissessar previously said.

“I cried? When I came out of Kamla office, I met (Roodal) Moonilal, Suruj (Rambachan) and Chandresh Sharma by the door. I said hi and bye and I left. I said to her I will leave and therefore to say I cried is not true,” he said.

Responding to Persad-Bissessar’s statement’s that he was attacking her because she is a woman, Warner said: “She says she is being attacked because she is a woman, well I never heard about so much foolishness but I know as an old hunter...male manicou, female manicou, same shot...when you in the bush you don’t say that manicou will escape because it’s a female.”

Warner said Persad-Bissessar opened her life up to criticisms when she became Prime Minister. “If anybody is delusional is Kamla not me. My friends know what I drink, when I drink and where and that is all I will say.”

What PM Said

Speaking to United National Congress’ (UNC) supporters in Debe on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said Warner cried when he was fired from her government in 2013.  “Mr Warner came to the Diplomatic Centre, the same centre he is now maligning with his lies, with a letter of resignation. He gave me the letter which I still have, he was resigning from the government and he cried, he cried that night.

“He knew the David Simmons report was coming out the very day when I was out the country, so he took front with it, came and cried and said ‘Hey if you want this I’ll give it to you, keep it whatever.’”

[weary1969]

Therese Baptiste Cornellus confirms on fb that Kams cry after Reshmi.

[MEP]

was she sober when she was crying? allyuh know how drunk people does act arready

[Flex]

Former ILP deputy joins UNC, slams Warner
By Anna Ramdass (Express).

Corruption-accused Jack Warner was last night described as the “greatest political con job” by former deputy leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Anna Deonarine, who said she was ashamed to have been close to him.

Deonarine made a surprise debut on the United National Congress (UNC) platform last night at the St Helena Hindu School.

Deonarine was one of the frontline speakers when the ILP was born in 2013 and she campaigned aggressively with Warner for the Chaguanas West by-election where he emerged victorious.

Deonarine resigned as deputy leader last year.

She was subject to attacks from the UNC during her days of loyalty to Warner. Former AG Anand Ramlogan had claimed that Deonarine's Range Rover was a stolen vehicle.

Deonarine's luxury Range Rover Sport HSE, valued at about $500,000, which was bought from an agent in England, was seized by local police after it was reported as a stolen vehicle by British police.

Ramlogan had also said that Deonarine was the major beneficiary of the sale of 20 acres of land, bought by her parents from Dole Chadee's brother, Thackoor Boodram, in 1997, for $225,000 and then sold by them to CLICO for $13 million. The $13 million was credited to a CLICO policy in Anna Deonarine's name on March 29, 2005.

Warner had defended Deonarine who was then forced to flee her home with her children for fear of being harassed.

Clearly putting all animosity aside, Deonarine graced the UNC platform in defence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar who has been the subject of attacks by Warner.

“Tonight I stand before you seeking to right a wrong,” said Deonarine.

“I admit that I assisted the man, one who can be described as the greatest political con job against the UNC and the Partnership,” said Deonarine.

She said when Warner asked her to assist him in the Chaguanas West by-election, she agreed to do so because she believed him when he said that the Sir David Simmons report against him was a “concoction of lies”.

‘I was a gullible child'

The report from the FIFA Ethics committee found Warner was involved in financial impropriety during his tenure at FIFA.

Deonarine said as a “gullible child” she believed everything that Warner fed to her.

“I felt this was a man that was wronged and that I had to stand up with him, I trusted him when he told me that he has no intention whatsoever from turning away from the Partnership,” she said.

She said she believed Warner when he said that the PNM was the “biggest blight” to ever visit this country.

Deonarine said she neglected her duties as a wife and mother and proceeded to travel to every length and breadth of Chaguanas West with Warner.

She said today she feels shame.

“The unmitigated shame and embarrassment that I now feel, the shame that I feel as a former ILP member and as a woman, as a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, that has led me to return to the political platform,” she said.

“How dare you lie unashamedly to me and to the people of Trinidad and Tobago!” Deonarine said as she directed to Warner.

She said when she sees Warner now forming an “unholy alliance” with the PNM she asks herself, “What manner of man is this?”

She said Warner has sought to deflect from the overwhelming claims of racketeering and money laundering against him.

Deonarine slammed Warner for aiming his attacks against the Prime Minister.

“Why is he now attacking the Prime Minister? Was she there in FIFA when the alleged money laundering was going on?” she asked.

She questioned whether the Prime Minister should have gone to Warner and first seek his approval and permission for the US authorities to lay charges against him. She said the Jack Warner she sees today is not the man she knew.

Deonarine said further that she has information on the “gruesome twosome's” secret handshakes and clandestine meetings Warner has been having.

Using Warner's own line she said, “But not tonight.”

Deonarine said she does not care about Warner's declaration of the gloves being off, she said she has put on her political battle gear and will stand up for the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister focused her address on detailing some of her Government's plans for the future and boasting of the track record of delivery.

However, she did spend a few minutes knocking Warner who had called on the Prime Minister to say who was in the room next to her during her official visit to China.

PM: Warner can't go to France

Persad-Bissessar said her husband Dr Gregory Bissessar accompanied her on the China visit.

She said growing up there was the expression “Go to France” and she wish she could say the same to Warner but “the poor man, he can't go to any country, he can't go anywhere in the world”.

She also urged people to not be afraid of any “obeah talk”.

“Do not let any obeah talk frighten you. Do not be afraid of any obeah talk, I am not afraid,” she said.

She said further that Community Development Minister Winston Peters had told her she's a “Baptu”- a Baptist and a Hindu and therefore had nothing to fear.

Persad-Bissessar reiterated that she was a strong woman and makes no apologies for her leadership and taking the tough decisions.

“I will fight like a lioness, I will fight for you, all the people and all the children of Trinidad and Tobago” she said as she pledged to build a new Trinidad and Tobago in the way forward.

[Flex]

Deonarine upgrading security for her family
By Renuka Singh (Guardian).

Former deputy leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Anna Deonarine plans to increase private security around her and her family after boldly taking on her former boss Jack Warner on Friday night from the United National Congress (UNC) platform.

After publicly attacking Warner from the relative safety of the UNC platform in St Helena, Deonarine confirmed to the Sunday Guardian yesterday that she was now contemplating a strong security contingent for her family as she expected that the general election campaign would become ever more heated.

​FLASHBACK

During Deonarine’s strident support for Warner on the Chaguanas West campaign trail in October 2013, the Sunday Guardian obtained information that Deonarine was interviewed by police investigators regarding an alleged link to a luxury vehicle stolen in the United Kingdom, which was then sold through a broker and shipped to Trinidad. The vehicle was registered locally to a company which listed Deonarine among its directors. The white Range Rover was seized by police.

Warner addressed that issue on an ILP platform, offering Deonarine the services of his retained senior counsel to sue the newspaper as Deonarine had then denied any involvement in the matter. The ILP did issue a pre-action protocol letter against the Sunday Guardian at that time but went no further with the issue, even though more stories on the Range Rover flooded the media.

Subsequently, Ramlogan revealed that Deonarine was a key beneficiary of the sale of land bought by her parents from Dole Chadee’s brother for $225,000, 20 acres of which were later sold to Clico for $13 million. Deonarine’s mother, Shama, worked at Clico at the time.

By September 2014, photos surfaced of Deonarine attending an Independence Day Classical Singing Competition hosted at the Fun Splash Water Park, Debe, by UNC top brass Dr Roodal Moonilal. Deonarine said then that she was not affiliated with any political party.

‘That’s the same party that called her a car thief’

Warner, in a brief telephone interview yesterday, said he had been betrayed by a list of former members of his party, which now included Deonarine.

“But I am sorry for Anna because any woman who is part of that party, especially an educated woman, needs some kind of moral guidance,” he said.

“While I understand that she has been showered with gifts, it is difficult to understand how easily people could still be bought.

“My sorrow for Anna is really for her children who now have the difficult task of coming to terms that their mother is someone that they used to look up to,” Warner said.

When asked if he was concerned that Deonarine had threatened to reveal inside information on him, Warner laughed.

“If she had information on me, I beg of her to make it public. In fact, I will pay for ad space in the daily newspapers, I will give her free exposure in the Sunshine Newspaper, on the Sunshine hour and on Warner TV,” he said, referring to his newspaper, an hour-long radio programme, and his online television station, respectively.

“Seems she has forgotten that that is the same party that called her a car thief and was critical of her mother in her Clico land deal. It boggles my mind that her memory is so short,” Warner said.

Deonarine said she had inside information on Warner as a result of working closely with him during the 2013 Chaguanas West by-election. She said while she did not want to contribute to the debasement engendered by Warner-era politics, she was willing to reveal what she had on him when she mounted subsequent UNC platforms.

The Sunday Guardian has since learned that among the damning revelations to come is information on deals Warner allegedly carried out. She also plans to reveal details of a Warner/People’s National Movement (PNM) collusion.

Ironically, it was to Warner that Deonarine had turned when under attack by former attorney general Anand Ramlogan. Warner helped move Deonarine and her family to a secure, secret location because of the vitriolic attack by Ramlogan over a $13 million land deal involving her mother, Shama Deonarine, who acquired land owned by hanged drug lord Dole Chadee. Defending Deonarine back in October 2013, Warner said because of revelations made by Ramlogan, Deonarine was forced to flee her home with her children for fear of harassment.

Warner had then criticised Ramlogan of disrespecting women, the same charge that Deonarine is now levelling against him. “When I saw what was happening, I knew that something had to be done,” Deonarine said. “It is going to be tough because politics is not an easy choice to make,” she said.

Deonarine said her family was “reluctant” when she first broached the topic of returning to the political fold.

“I took a hiatus for a year and when I saw what was happening in politics, I realised I had to return,” she said.

She said despite her plan to reveal dirt on Warner, she was “walking a tight line” between revealing the truth and falling into gutter politics. “But at the end of the day, I have to be sure that I do not stoop to his level and we help take politics out of the gutter where he brought it. We need to bring it back up to our level,” Deonarine said.

But while Deonarine emphasises she is seeking to bring honour back to politics, there are already rumours that the former ILP activist has been well compensated for her appearance and newfound allegiance to the UNC. The Sunday Guardian was told of Cepep contracts, the promise/award of an NP service station and several legal briefs.

“To this day, I have not received one single thing. I would have loved to get that. Maybe that would make what I am about to face a little easier,” she said.

Deonarine said she knew she had opened the door to personal attacks and the inevitable mud-slinging now that she had spoken out against Warner. She said she also knew he was a formidable opponent.

“But I am prepared for what will be coming. I had to be even before I decided to step back on that platform,” she said.

[Flex]

Extradition papers delivered to Ministry of Foreign Affairs
By Denyse Renne (Express).

US SENDS FOR JACK

Official documentation requesting the extradition of Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader and former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has been delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sources told the Express that around midday yesterday the package was dropped off via courier and will be sent to Central Authority head Netram Kowlessar today.

The package, sources say, also gives detailed listings of the alleged offences against Warner, who is wanted on wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering charges.

Contacted yesterday evening, Attorney General Garvin Nicholas said he is unaware that the US Department of Justice had sent the necessary paperwork for the commencement of extradition proceedings.

“I am unaware of that,” Nicholas said.

Kowlessar said: “I don't know. I wasn't in office today (yesterday). I will check when I go in tomorrow (today).”

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran when contacted also said he was unaware if any package had arrived.

Sources told the Express, that extradition proceedings ought to come through diplomatic channels and this would be through Foreign Affairs and then sent to the Central Authority.

It has been a month since a provisional warrant was issued for the arrest of Warner.

Warner is currently on $2.5 million bail after surrendering himself to Fraud Squad officers on May 27 after learning the warrant had been issued for his arrest.

He is being represented by a battery of attorneys, including Fyard Hosein SC, Nyree Alphonso, Rishi Dass and Anil Maharaj, while the State is being represented by Pamela Elder SC, attorneys Jagdeo Singh and Gerald Ramdeen.

Queens Counsel Alan Newman and James Lewis have also been retained by the State and will be appearing alongside the local team on July 9, when the matter next comes up for hearing.

Warner will next appear before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port of Spain Court on July 9.

He is accused of accepting a $10 million bribe in exchange for helping South Africa secure the right to host the 2010 World Cup. Officials in South Africa have denied that the money was a bribe.

Warner has denied wrongdoing and claimed that the charges are part of a US “witchhunt” meant to punish him for his support of Qatar's 2022 World Cup.

Sources told the Express that had the documentation not arrived by July 9, the matter would have been adjourned to a date on or before July 27, since the State was given 60 days to furnish documentation from the U.S. regarding Warner's extradition.

The 60 days took effect following the provisional warrant being served on Warner.

On June 3, Warner and other FIFA officials were placed on “red notice” by Interpol.

Former executive committee member Nicolas Leoz and corporate executives — Alejandro Burzaco, Hugo and Mariano Jinkis and Jose Margulies, also known as Jose Lazaro, were placed on the notices following a request by law enforcement officials in the United States.

The red notice was issued to all Interpol member countries and is geared towards seeking the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action.

Essentially, this means if Warner decides to leave the jurisdiction of T&T and go to another country, law enforcement will be alerted upon his arrival.

With this red notice in effect, it also means that all flight manifestos, train stations, ports — air and sea — and other modes of transportation will be closely monitored.

According to international reports, Lazaro is under house arrest in Paraguay.

Local Interpol sources say the alert is normal when dealing with an investigation of this magnitude and with such high-profile individuals.

The Interpol “red notice” means those named risk arrest anywhere they travel.

Argentinians Burzaco and Hugo Jinkis are accused of paying more than $100 million in bribes for media and commercial rights to football tournaments; and Margulies, a Brazilian broadcast executive.

[asylumseeker]

Irresponsible conduct by the source ...

[Michael-j]

Irresponsible conduct by the source ...

And what of the journalist/Express? ...publishing unsubstantiated information...

[asylumseeker]

Irresponsible conduct by the source ...

And what of the journalist/Express? ...publishing unsubstantiated information...

Unsubstantiated by whom?

[Michael-j]

Irresponsible conduct by the source ...

And what of the journalist/Express? ...publishing unsubstantiated information...

Unsubstantiated by whom?

Any of the authorities who should be in a position to do so.