Source: TnT MIRROR
Dated: 11/09/07
Investigations into $30m spent on elections by UNC/A
Government, in one of its first corruption probes will order a forensic audit of the finances of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) to see whether if football funds were used to finance the United National Congress/Alliance (UNC/A) campaign in the general election.
UNC/A deputy political leader, Jack Warner is advisor to the TTFA and is in charge of financial affairs of the Federation.
Sources say that the Federation has about $250 million in its account from contributions made by the Government for the Soca Warriors campaign “On the Road to Germany” for the Football World Cup last year.
The private sector also pumped money to assist the Soca Warriors and Government has put money into the Federation for the development of football in the country.
Questions are being raised as to how the UNC/A was able to raise close to $30 million to finance the party’s campaign in a bid to remove the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) from office.
Warner, who was the main financer of the UNC/A was accused by Diego Martin MP Dr. Keith Rowley of using Fifa’s money for the election, which he has denied saying that he owns 13 companies and the funds spent were from his own pocket.
The UNC/A in a bid for power spent twice the amount of the other opposition party, the Congress of the People (COP) and some are arguing that the money could have also surpassed the amount spent by the PNM.
The UNC/A spent millions on the international artistes, erecting stages at venues where they held their rallies, bringing down two civil rights activists from the United States, chartering a jet to South Africa to try and persuade freedom fighter Nelson Mandela to come to Trinidad to endorse the UNC/A in the election.
However, Warner, Panday and his wife, Oma who made the South Africa trip was unable to get Mandela to come here for the party’s rally last week.
Reports are that Warner, who for the first time was contesting a seat in an election, spent close to $3 million to win the Chaguanas West seat, where he was victorious.
Millions were also spent on entertainment for food, drinks, and transportation, jerseys for supporters at their political meetings and motorcades.
But in the end the UNC/A only managed to go back into opposition with one less seat as the party won only 15 seats with the PNM taking 26 seats in the 41-member Parliament.
Had the UNC/A won the election, there are reports that Warner was bidding to become Prime Minister.
Warner, who is chairman of the UNC/A, defeated COP candidate Manohar Ramsaran, the former Chaguanas MP. Millionaire Warner has stated that if he should win his seat, he wants a salary of one dollar a month and if he performed well that would be increased to two dollars.
He also said that he came from humble beginnings and the money, his riches, would be shared with the people and some given back to the poor communities.
Sources say that Prime Minister Patrick Manning would be focusing on corruption and intends to carry out several investigations into allegations of corruption within his Government and Opposition MP’s.