March 29, 2024, 12:44:26 AM

Poll

 Who will lose ?

 Jack
2 (14.3%)
Khadija
2 (14.3%)
PNM Fella
3 (21.4%)
Kamla
2 (14.3%)
The people of Chaguanas West
5 (35.7%)
Some big pappy contractor
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 13

Voting closed: July 28, 2013, 04:18:55 AM

Author Topic: Jack Warner General Section Thread.  (Read 182103 times)

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Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1260 on: June 29, 2015, 08:44:06 AM »
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.

Ah get yuh. However, in the publication's view, the sources likely are of sufficient competence to stand independently as "credible". As such, the Express likely met its threshold of responsibility.

The initial leaking of the information rests in mischief and is provocative. Keep yuh mouth shut and let the process take its course.

Offline Michael-j

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1261 on: June 29, 2015, 12:18:44 PM »
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.

Ah get yuh. However, in the publication's view, the sources likely are of sufficient competence to stand independently as "credible". As such, the Express likely met its threshold of responsibility.

The initial leaking of the information rests in mischief and is provocative. Keep yuh mouth shut and let the process take its course.

Fair enough, but  that right there for me is the problem with the Express and other local publications . To what standard of credibility are their sources being held? 



Offline Michael-j

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1262 on: June 29, 2015, 12:24:59 PM »
US Embassy: No final extradition request for Jack, yet.

 Published on Jun 29, 2015, 12:11 pm AST
 Updated on Jun 29, 2015, 1:40 pm AST
 By Carolyn Kissoon
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20150629/news/us-embassy-no-final-extradition-request-for-jack-yet


The final request for the extradition of Independent Liberal Party (ILP) political leader, Jack Warner, has not yet been issued.

This is according to the United States Embassy, Port-of-Spain.

The Embassy issued a media release on Monday stating that the U.S. Department of Justice has not yet sent any final requests on the Warner extradition request to the Trinidad and Tobago authorities. The release stated that it was still within the 60 day window specified by the treaty for the final request to be delivered.

The US Embassy was responding to reports that the official documentation had been delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Express was informed that around midday on Sunday the package was dropped off via courier and will be sent to Central Authority head Netram Kowlessar.

Speaking at a meeting at Hatters panyard in San Fernando on Sunday evening, Warner said there was no cause to worry. He warned supporters that in the coming weeks they will hear many things abour him and the US charges.

"You will hear Jack Warner is guilty and you will hear them say he should leave and go to the US and be tried. You will hear them say he can't go to France. You know how many times I went to France with my own money. I have gone to more countries in the world than any of the combined, so I dont have to go to France. What  want to do is to come to places like Hatters panyard and see the peoples propblems," he said.

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1263 on: June 29, 2015, 12:49:50 PM »
...
Fair enough, but  that right there for me is the problem with the Express and other local publications . To what standard of credibility are their sources being held? 


Valid question. We observe problems with this on a continual basis.

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1264 on: June 29, 2015, 12:54:42 PM »
There's a recent tweet from the embassy, but no media release on the embassy site.

Offline Deeks

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1265 on: June 29, 2015, 08:04:47 PM »
...
Fair enough, but  that right there for me is the problem with the Express and other local publications . To what standard of credibility are their sources being held? 


Valid question. We observe problems with this on a continual basis.

But the TT news media is not that different from other news media.

Offline Flex

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1266 on: July 01, 2015, 02:16:10 AM »
I'm not going anywhere.
By Anna Ramdass (Express).


Bring it on!

Corruption accused Former embattled FIFA Vice President Jack Warner declared last night that he is not going anywhere and if the United States sends for him, he's ready to battle them.

The former FIFA Vice President also questioned why taxpayers money was being used to pay legal fees for a US case against him.

He said the Government should also pay his legal fees as the only person who's doing work pro bono for him is Rekha Ramjit.

Warner, the leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) , was speaking tonight at a cottage meeting in Claxton Bay.

"I ain't running, I ain't hiding , all I say to them is bring it on and when they bring it on it will be a long hot summer," said Warner.

"Jack Warner eh going anywhere, he ain't going anywhere...I'll be here not for five, 10 or 15 years, I will be here for a very long time" said Warner.

"He could take that and carry it to the bank!" added Warner , referring to Attorney General Garvin Nicholas.

Warner noted a US news report which stated that he was charged with wire fraud as $295,000 of FIFA money was wired to him in December 2010.

Warner said if this is what he got after 30 years in FIFA, he's still owed money.

Turning to his extradition matter, Warner said what worries him was that the US has a provisional warrant for him but taxpayers money was being used to put up a case for the US for which they say they have evidence.

He pointed out that an English QC and five local lawyers were retained at taxpayers' expense.

"That for me is patently unfair," said Warner.

He assured that he fears nothing because he believes he has the best legal team and God.

"I sleep very soundly at night...because I have nothing to fear. The Lord is my Shepherd," said Warner.

He said further said that if money mattered to him he would not take a salary of $1 a month, $60 total for five years as the Chaguanas West MP.

He added that he never took a Government loan to purchase a vehicle.

Warner boasted that there was no Cabinet Minister who has been more generous than him.

He said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was unfit for office as well as her team.

Holding up a copy of the Sunshine newspaper headlined "Devant Playboy" Warner said the front page was posted on Facebook and generated 103,000 hits.

The front page bears the photograph of Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj in an affectionate position with a woman.

The ILP deputy leader Rekha Ramjit also spoke about Warner's legal issues.

However before getting into her speech she declared , "I am Rekha Ramjit and I am not for sale".

Ramjit, an attorney, said that Warner's extradition matter is a long process that will take years.

She said there was never any provisional warrant of arrest for businessmen Ish Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson.

She added that the US extradition request for them came in 2005 and it wasn't until 2012 that the courts ruled that they will not be extradited.

"In this particular issue it will be a long time before this process is complete," said Ramjit.

She noted that on May 26 the provisional warrant of arrest was issued for Warner.

She said this warrant was just a statement of bare charges with no evidence attached.

Ramjit said under the extradition treaty the provisional warrant of arrest is issued if urgent.

"What was the urgency that caused him to execute a provisional warrant without any evidence on a prominent citizen," said Ramjit.

She noted that 35 days have passed and yet to yesterday's date they have not provided that evidence.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Deeks

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1267 on: July 02, 2015, 08:03:15 AM »
I read on CNN that the U.S. is serving extradition papers to the accused FIFA officials.

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1268 on: July 02, 2015, 09:03:42 AM »
There's a recent tweet from the embassy, but no media release on the embassy site.

The release now appears on the embassy site, but it isn't an expansive statement. It is a one-sentence statement that mirrors the tweet word for word.

Is it that they were constrained by 140 characters or they prefer to be reticent?

It eh hard. Don't expect the embassy to show the full hand.


Offline Flex

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1269 on: July 03, 2015, 02:00:17 AM »
Jack claims he's peacemaker in Enterprise
By Kim Boodram (Express).


Corruption accused Jack Warner last night claimed to have brought peace to warring gangs in Enterprise, Chaguanas.

Warner, who originates from neighbouring Longdenville, after reminiscing about his childhood playing with friends from Enterprise said he has spent the past few weeks mediating with opposing factions in the community.

As he blasted Chaguanas East MP Stephen Cadiz for failing to save the community, said he was pleased to announce that the gang leaders had agreed to a ceasefire.

Enterprise has shot into the news over an increase in what appears to be gang warfare, which some say has risen among gangs including Rasta City and the Muslims.

Warner said he was in conference with a gang leader up to half hour before arriving at the Independent Liberal Party's public meeting at the corner of the Southern Main Road and Neblett Street, Enterprise.
Warner said he wanted to thank the gang leaders who spoke with him and who have agreed to "start afresh" with each other.

Saying he did not know how long the truce would last, Warner lambasted Cadiz for apparently not even knowing where his own constituency was located.

He also apologised for being part of the screening committee that chose Cadiz, whom he claimed was at one time rejected by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Calling Enterprise a depressed community, Warner said the feeling of paucity among residents was worsened by the proximity of neighboring wealthy communities.

Warner also said everyone knew of the existence of corrupt police elements and he claimed that the high tech guns seen in Enterprise were entering the country through Cedros and Chatham.

Warner also made a startling claim that Venezuelan babies were being smuggled through those same ports. As many as six babies per week were entering Trinidad and this was as a result of hard times in their country.

Warner did not say where the children were going.

He also promised to bring land settlement to Enterprise and regularise those without ownership.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Flex

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1270 on: July 05, 2015, 06:17:50 AM »
Warner pays $.2m to settle Faaiq lawsuit
Shaliza Hassanali (Guardian)


Councillor Faaiq Mohammed yesterday received a $275,000 cheque from embattled Independent Liberal Party leader (ILP) Jack Warner.

The payment was to satisfy damages awarded by the High Court in Mohammed’s favour, in a lawsuit he won on July 24, 2014.

The cheque, dated June 30, 2015, was presented to Mohammed by a representative of Warner.

Mohammed was accused by Warner of being corrupt and accepting a bribe of $2.5 million from the UNC to cast a vote for one of its candidates instead of the ILP in the 2013 by-election.

Yesterday, Mohammed in a written statement explained that since the judgment was delivered, he had been trying to get Warner to comply with the court order and pay him.

Last month, Mohammed initiated legal action to recover some $262,000 which the High Court ordered that Warner pay him for making defamatory statements.

Warner’s attorneys, however, contended that the judgment had been appealed.

“Warner recently attacked me at a political meeting when I announced that I had filed an application in court to have him declared bankrupt.”

Mohammed said Warner called him an idiot and clown from Chaguanas West.

“Whilst I am grateful for the payment, I am disappointed that such a wealthy man would have taken over a year to pay such a relatively small debt which was caused by his own baseless, malicious and outrageous attacks on my character and integrity. No amount of money can ever compensate me for the damage done to my character and reputation. I wanted to expose the fraudulent, bold-faced and shameless character assassination that has become a trademark of Warner’s gutter politics.”

Mohammed said the rushed payment by Warner was designed to avoid levy proceedings, which he had filed in the High Court last week.

“That levy would have been executed on the assets of Warner in the coming week as my attorneys were in the process of completing the necessary means and assets search.”

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Flex

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1271 on: July 05, 2015, 06:18:59 AM »
Jack not leaving T&T soon
Shaliza Hassanali (Guardian)


Embattled Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader and former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner is not leaving T&T anytime soon.

According to former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, Warner could spend between seven and eight years fighting his extradition in court.

He said one thing Warner had going for him was his lawyer Edward Fitzgerald, QC, a leading extradition practitioner for the past 20 years, who has a track record of winning extradition cases worldwide.

Fitzgerald represented Gary McKinnon, a Scottish systems administrator and hacker, who was accused in 2002 of perpetrating the biggest military computer hack of all time. For many years, Fitzgerald represented McKinnon in a judicial review proceedings and drafted the representations to the British Home Secretary which resulted in her withdrawing the order for his client’s extradition.

From mid-July, Maharaj said, he would host a series of public meetings to explain how Warner’s extradition could be tied up in the court system for years and the Government was only fooling citizens with its claim that Warner’s last days in Trinidad were imminent.

Faced with extradition to the US on racketeering, corruption and bribery charges, Warner, 72, at an ILP meeting in Claxton Bay on Tuesday, dared authorities to take him to the US.

Warner, who surrendered himself to Fraud Squad officers on May 27 after learning that a provisional warrant had been issued for his arrest, emphatically stated that he was not leaving T&T “not now, not ever.”

Accused of accepting a $10 million bribe in exchange for helping South Africa secure the right to host the 2010 World Cup, Warner told supporters, “I’ll be here not for five, ten or 15 years. I will be here for a very long time and they could take that and carry it to the bank! Everyone wants to see Jack leave here. They are pushing for Jack to leave, but up to today they can’t lay a single charge. I ain’t running and hiding. All I can say is bring it on and when they bring it on it will be a long, hot summer.”

Warner’s bold assertion came two days after a report in the Express newspaper that official documentation requesting his extradition had been delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The US Embassy in Port-of-Spain in a release issued last Monday stated that the US Department of Justice had not yet sent any final requests for Warner’s extradition to the T&T authorities.

Extradition proceedings would have to be stayed

On Wednesday, Maharaj said the extradition process did not mean that as soon as a foreign country made a request, the person regarding whom the request was made would immediately be extradited to the requesting country.

Maharaj said first there was a 60-day period for Warner’s extradition papers to be filed in the court.

“When those papers are filed, the court has to listen to submissions as to whether the extradition is within the law. If there is a constitutional issue raised before the magistrate, the magistrate does not have any jurisdiction to deal with constitutional rights, issues or violation of the Constitution.”

Maharaj said Warner, through his attorneys, could then ask the magistrate under Section 14 of the Constitution to refer the matter to the High Court to determine the issue.

“The magistrate will have to refer the matter to the High Court unless the points raised by Warner’s lawyers are frivolous or vexatious.”

When the matter is referred to the High Court, Warner has a right to appeal any decision of the High Court, to the Court of Appeal and Privy Council. “In the meantime, the extradition proceedings would have to be stayed. Warner cannot be extradited,” Maharaj said.

Even if the magistrate refused to refer the matter to the High Court, Maharaj said Warner’s lawyers can apply for judicial review of the magistrate’s decision before the High Court. “The High Court decision in a judicial review, under the Judicial Review Act, can be appealed in the same way as a right [of appeal] to the High Court, Court of Appeal and Privy Council.”

A long drawn-out process

If the matter reaches and finishes in the Privy Council and Warner did not succeed, Maharaj said, “The matter would have to go back to the magistrates court. There, Warner’s lawyers can argue on the evidential aspect of the matter. Based on that evidential aspect any decision of the magistrate can be reviewed on judicial review to the High Court. And from the High Court to the Court of Appeal to the Privy Council.”

In a nutshell, Maharaj said, “This would be a long, drawn-out process, as long as there are legal points to be argued. This legal process can take years, as long as seven to eight years in Trinidad.”

Maharaj said, hence, the reason Warner was not bothered about the extradition.

“No one can’t come just so and take him on a plane to the US. If they do that it would be an abuse of process.” Warner is entitled to due process of law and enjoyment of his constitutional rights in the home country.

Maharaj said it would be a difficult task to extradite Warner since Fitzgerald, along with local attorney Fyard Hosein, SC, would put up a hard fight.

‘Warner doing damage to their image and character’

Meanwhile, Maharaj said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and her Government should not undermine the Constitution and due process of law to extradite Warner who has become a weapon against the Government, doing great damage to their image and character.

On Thursday, Warner, who is on $2.5 million bail, will appear before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port-of-Spain Court when the matter next comes up for hearing.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Controversial

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Jack Warner not leaving T&T for another 7-8 years...
« Reply #1272 on: July 05, 2015, 02:50:24 PM »
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-07-05/jack-not-leaving-tt-soon



The Teflon man knows the laws, interesting that guys like Bas and Ramesh are making comments

Offline Brownsugar

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1273 on: July 06, 2015, 06:28:24 AM »
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-07-05/jack-not-leaving-tt-soon



The Teflon man knows the laws, interesting that guys like Bas and Ramesh are making comments

Jack not leaving any time soon is not news.....Ish and Steve have most certainly thought us that as long as you have money, extradition is not for you....
"...If yuh clothes tear up
Or yuh shoes burst off,
You could still jump up when music play.
Old lady, young baby, everybody could dingolay...
Dingolay, ay, ay, ay ay,
Dingolay ay, ay, ay..."

RIP Shadow....The legend will live on in music...

Offline weary1969

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1274 on: July 06, 2015, 01:42:01 PM »
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-07-05/jack-not-leaving-tt-soon



The Teflon man knows the laws, interesting that guys like Bas and Ramesh are making comments

Jack not leaving any time soon is not news.....Ish and Steve have most certainly thought us that as long as you have money, extradition is not for you....

CO-SIGNNNN
Today you're the dog, tomorrow you're the hydrant - so be good to others - it comes back!"

Offline Flex

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1275 on: July 15, 2015, 02:07:03 AM »
No $8m Section 34 conspiracy.
By Anna Ramdass (Express).


Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has once again dismissed allegations by corruption-accused Jack Warner—this time, on an $8.3 million Section 34 freedom conspiracy—as lies.

Warner called a news conference at the Hotel Normandie in St Ann's yesterday, where he presen­ted a sworn affidavit claiming Persad-Bissessar accepted $8.3 million in cheques from United National Congress financiers Ish Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson at the Tunapuna home of businessman Ralph Gopaul in May 2010.

Warner claimed the Prime Minister indicated to him the creation of the Justice Ministry would “help our friends”. He also said the Section 34 debacle was designed to give freedom to these two men.

Galbaransingh and Ferguson are accused of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and bid-rigging in relation to two construction packages for the Piarco Airport construction project. The charges indicated the alleged acts took place in the United States and elsewhere between 1996 and 2001.

Their extradition request was quashed by Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh in 2011, who ordered they be tried in Trinidad.

False and without foundation

Following Warner's news conference yesterday, the Prime Minister issued a release stating his news conference “was a damp squib littered with lies and more lies”.

“Let me state very clearly and unequivocally that these accusations are false and without any foundation whatsoever,” she stated.

Persad-Bissessar said she hoped the observers “will by now have noted the pattern of increasingly far-fetched claims being made by this man and how quickly each set of his claims unravels once the facts are known. Everybody knows his present plight and why he is becoming so desperate. He is a stranger to the truth”.

Warner is accused of corruption, fraud and money laundering by the United States with respect to his tenure at FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association). Warner is currently out on $2.5 million bail.

In dealing with Warner's claim that Galbaransingh and Ferguson paid millions to the Prime Minister for their freedom, Persad-Bissessar stated due process in law was followed with respect to the case of these two men.

She said the record shows Justice Boodoosingh, presiding in the Port of Spain High Court, stayed in November 2011 any move to have Galbaransingh and Ferguson extradited as being “unjust, oppressive and unlawful”.

She noted this was well before the proclamation of Section 34 (in fact, almost one year before). “So that claim of a connection is, as others, absolute nonsense,” she said.

Persad-Bissessar noted Section 34 was passed unanimously by all sides of the House in 2012.

No instruction to AG

The Prime Minister noted yesterday the move to repeal came within 24 hours of receiving advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to do so.

She said she fired then-justice minister Herbert Volney, as he “had given erroneous advice to the Cabinet and had failed to accurately represent the position and views of the CJ and DPP”.

The Prime Minister attached the statement she delivered in September 2012 with respect to this.

“It gave me no pleasure to dismiss him, but all ministers in my Government are accountable and when tough decisions have needed to be taken, I have taken them,” she said.

On Warner's claim that Persad-Bissessar gave instructions to Attorney General Garvin Nicholas to sign papers against him (Warner), the Prime Minister said she gave no such instruction.

She said Warner should take his allegations to the Integrity Commission—as he and others have done before, and for which she has been cleared on every occasion.

“Let him take his allegations to the police with the evidence he claims to have. This will put a stop to this nonsense,” she said.

RELATED NEWS

Warner: $9.3m bribe passed in Section 34 fiasco
PM’s lawyers on high alert
By Gail Alexander (Guardian).


Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has struck down embattled Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner’s fresh allegations on the Section 34 issue as being crazy and false and has asked her lawyers to take the requisite action to stop “this malicious misinformation once and for all.”

This after Warner held a media briefing at the Normandie Hotel in Port-of-Spain yesterday, where he read out a statement on the Section 34 issue which he had completed with Justice of the Peace Anthony Soulette on May 29, the day after he was released from prison after he failed to secure bail when he first appeared in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court on charges related to his dealings as a former Fifa vice-president.

The statement chiefly alleges a conspiracy on the Section 34 matter by Government officials, spearheaded by Persad-Bissessar, in order to “assist” former UNC financiers Ish Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson.

Warner alleged that followed “receipt” of a bribe, totalling $8.3 million, prior to the May 2010 general election.

Detailing a series of alleged developments, Warner alleged that the Prime Minister, in an effort to appease the US government for “her misrepresentation and mishandling of the Galbaransingh/Ferguson extradition and more so to neutralise a powerful political opponent with the capacity to lessen her party’s chances at the upcoming polls, she believes a golden opportunity has arisen for her to get rid of me based on the US charges.”

Warner, who also made claims about how former Justice Minister Herbert Volney was fired, said he was praying the PM would deny his statements, send him a pre-action protocol letter, refer him to her attorney or talk about it on the platform.

He said he had two more issues “more damning” than yesterday’s allegations to reveal and would also be doing an expose on the waste water treatment project.

After being asked about Warner’s claims regarding Galbaransingh, Ferguson and Section 34, Persad-Bissessar, responding via statement, said: “I don’t intend to waste any more time on Mr Warner’s ludicrous behaviour and crazy claims.

“The press conference held by Jack Warner was a damp squib littered with lies and more lies. I am responding at the earliest opportunity in the hope this will ensure that these outrageous claims by Warner are treated with the contempt they deserve.”

She added: “Let me state very clearly and unequivocally that these accusations are false and without any foundation whatsoever.

“I hope that observers will by now have noted the pattern of increasingly far-fetched claims being made by this man and how quickly each set of his claims unravels once the facts are known. Everybody knows his present plight and why he is becoming so desperate. He is a stranger to the truth.”

Timeline support

In putting a timeline as she refuted his claims, Persad-Bissessar said: “The record shows that Mr Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, presiding in the Port-of-Spain High Court, stayed in November 2011 any move to have Galbaransingh and Ferguson extradited as being ‘unjust, oppressive and unlawful.’

“This was well before the proclamation of Section 34 (in fact, almost one year before). So that claim of a connection is, as others, absolute nonsense.”

She added: “Section 34 was passed unanimously by all sides of the House in 2012. It was subsequently repealed within 24 hours of receiving advice from the DPP to do so.

“As I stated at the time, I dealt with Minister (Volney) as I needed to do. He had given erroneous advice to the Cabinet and had failed to represent accurately the position and views of the Chief Justice and Director of Public Prosecutions.”

Citing the contents of the statement she gave in September 2012 on the matter of Section 34, Persad-Bissessar added: “It gave me no pleasure to dismiss him but all ministers in my Government are accountable and when tough decisions have needed to be taken, I have taken them.”

She also denied Warner’s allegations that she instructed Attorney General Garvin Nicholas to sign his extradition papers.

“In fact nothing has been signed by the AG to date. Another lie.

“Let Mr Warner take his allegations to the Integrity Commission, as he and others have done before and for which I have been cleared on every occasion. Let him take his allegations to the police with the evidence he claims to have. This will put a stop to this nonsense,” she said.

She added: “I have a duty to the people of T&T to lead this country and work tirelessly on their behalf. I remain focused on the issues that really matter and am doing everything I can to improve the lives of all the people.

“ I trust Mr Warner’s desperate and fallacious claims will be treated with the derision they deserve by the people of T&T.”

Contacted yesterday, Galbaransingh said he had not seen Warner’s statement or heard it and could not comment. Ferguson didn’t reply to calls.

Rowley shocked by Jack’s claims
By Kalifa Clyne (Guardian).


Political Leader of the People’s National Movement Dr Keith Rowley says the latest allegations levelled at Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar by her former Cabinet colleague, Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner, are shocking.

During a press conference at the Normandie Hotel yesterday, Warner claimed to have had discussions with Persad-Bissessar regarding plans to help United National Congress financiers Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson.

Warner also claimed to have been in a room with three parties and witnessing cheques being passed between the parties and Persad-Bissessar.

He attempted to tie the events to the proclamation of Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act.

Rowley, who spoke to media before meeting with the Joint Trade Union Movement yesterday afternoon, said he was still in shock after hearing the allegations minutes earlier.

“I’m still in shock because even I couldn’t have believed that it was as bad as that.

“I had my suspicions but this is something where when I entered politics in 1980, I never dreamt that I would encounter this sort of thing in Trinidad and Tobago. I am still in shock,” he said.

Rowley also commented on the national debate which the Debates Commission announced would take place on August 26 and 27.

Rowley, who said the commission had assured him the debate would take place after nomination day, said while a national debate would be useful he would not be relying on it to debate with the population.

“There is no anxiety. We have been debating with the population and Government for the longest while.

“The biggest debating chamber in the country is the Parliament and I have been debating there for the longest while.

“The Prime Minister has been largely absent and she took the unprecedented step of using her majority to throw me out of the debating chamber so we are not exercised by any debate or lack thereof,” he added.

He said the PNM could speak to the people of T&T with or without any contrived debate.

“The national debate would be a useful thing. We said so from the beginning and we signed on to it very early. Other changes made by others, we are not concerned by that.

“It could be a useful thing if accomplished but if they don’t we get on with our campaigning as we have done for the past 60 years,” he added.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Socapro

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1276 on: July 16, 2015, 11:26:05 AM »
I think the biased PP controlled media need to start referring to Kamla as "Ganja suspect" to add some balance to their reporting.
It is only fair if they insist on referring to Jack Warner as "corruption-accused".
However it will be best for the PP controlled media to cut out the childish name-calling all together as they are behaving just like PM Kamla at her political for-RUM who now regularly refers to Dr Rowley and Jack Warner as the "gruesome-two-some" even while slurring her words and being clearly under the influence.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2015, 11:34:46 AM by Socapro »
De higher a monkey climbs is de less his ass is on de line, if he works for FIFA that is! ;-)

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The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus ;with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Offline Flex

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1278 on: July 19, 2015, 03:51:49 AM »
Jack's Cheques Revealed
$.7m put into Chaguanas West account.
By Anika Gumbs (Guardian).


SEVEN cheques totalling $0.7 million were deposited into the bank account of the Chaguanas West constituency by road paving contractors Lutchmeesingh's Transport and Contractors Ltd and Namalco Construction Services Ltd.

Continued Sunday Express investigations into the questionable transactions have revealed that six of the deposits were made mere months before corruption accused Jack Warner transferred $.7 million from the Chaguanas West constituency account into personal and a business bank accounts, both belonging to him.

The seventh deposit, however, was made on April 30, 2013 some nine days after Warner resigned as minister of national security in the face of a damning Sir David Simmons CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) report of allegations of multi-million-dollar financial mismanagement against him and former CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer.

Evidence of the seven deposits is shown in the following paper trail listed below:

•March 31, 2011-$50,000 (Namalco Ltd)

•August 15, 2012-$42,000 (Lutchmeesingh's Ltd)

•August 17, 2012-$100,000 (Namalco Ltd)

•October 16, 2012-$100,000 (Namalco Ltd)

•December 4, 2012-$200,000 (Namalco Ltd)

•December 29, 2012-$100,000 (Lutchmeesingh's Ltd)

•April 30, 2013-$100,000 (Lutchmeesingh's Ltd)

Lutchmeesingh's Transport and Contractors Ltd was the company that was awarded a contract in 2011 valued at $61,668,510.16 to repair the Tarouba Link Road during Warner's stint as works and infrastructure minister. And records show Namalco Construction Services Ltd was the sub-contractor alongside Brazilian firm Construtora OAS when Warner handed over a $1.5 billion cheque to the National Infrastructure Development Company as part payment for the $7.2 billion highway from Golconda to Point Fortin. Warner has not responded to telephone calls or e-mails sent by the Sunday Express seeking his comment on the deposits made by the contractors.

What Warner said

During a press conference on July 14, Warner is on record as saying that the $.7 million transferred to his private and business accounts was his personal money he used to meet the needs of Chaguanas West constituents.

The bills, Warner said, were usually higher than the funds available in the Chaguanas West bank account and, as a result, he used his private money, returning it when funds went into the constituency coffers.

Warner said: “There were times when money had to be replaced and shifted around accounts.”

He also pointed out the importance of money being repaid to his companies whenever it was used.

Warner's response followed a Sunday Express expose last week that revealed the $0.7 million being transferred from the Chaguanas West account to his personal bank account at Intercommercial Bank Ltd (IBL) and into a business account in the name of Hand to Mouth Ltd, a company in which Warner has a business interest.

Warner is the sole signatory on account #373498 at IBL.

Two cheques valued at $500,000 were made payable from the Chaguanas West constituency Republic Bank account #290457900101 to his IBL personal account one month apart on December 10, 2012 and January 10, 2013.

The third cheque, valued at $211,448.46, was made payable to Hand to Mouth Ltd, on October 26, 2012 from the Chaguanas West Republic Bank account.

Ten cheques valued at $136,900 showed that the bank account of the Chaguanas West constituency was also debited to pay salaries to Warner.

However, Warner said he did not break his vow as the Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West and accepted a salary.

Six cheques also showed that Warner took back $18,000 from the Chaguanas West constituency bank account as reimbursement for rental of the constituency office.

Contractors and contributions

It is not the first time bank records have surfaced showing deposits made to bank accounts from contractors during Warner's tenure as a government minister.

As reported previously by this newspaper, Warner, in 2010 and 2011, wrote to contractors and other business interests asking for money.

Back then, Warner, who held the mega-portfolio of Works and Infrastructure, had requested the money to pay for the ministry's Christmas dinner that was estimated to cost $1.9 million.

Bank statements had showed that more than $9.5 million was deposited into a Royal Bank business account listed in the name of JLM Quality Services Ltd, a company Warner was listed as a director up to October 31, 2007.

Among those making a donation to the event was Jusamco Pavers Ltd, which made a $200,000 deposit.



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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1279 on: July 19, 2015, 03:52:56 AM »
US case against Warner ready...
Extradition request ‘by Wednesday’
By Camini Marajh (Express).


THE US Department of Justice (DOJ) statement of case against indicted former football jefe Jack Warner is now complete and is expected to be sent to Trinidad by Wednesday, a US law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation has disclosed on condition of strict anonymity.

The source, who is not authorised to discuss the case, told the Sunday Express yesterday that the formal extradition request or “record of case” should arrive in Port of Spain by Wednesday, mere days before the July 27 deadline specified by the treaty for the final request to be made.

Warner was among 14 football officials and marketing executives arrested in a sweeping US$150 million bribery scheme stretching over nearly a quarter of a century on May 27 in a dramatic US crackdown on global corruption in football.

The disgraced former FIFA vice-president and ex-president of CONCACAF, the regional governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean, was charged with eight counts of financial crimes in connection with the FIFA corruption case, according to the DOJ indictment which was unsealed in the Eastern District Court in New York in May.

Warner has denied all of the US charges made against him and has promised to put up a long legal battle to US prosecutors' bid to extradite him to New York to face charges of money laundering, wire fraud and racketeering.

The US corruption case against the Independent Liberal Party leader, according to the source, relies on an evidence trail of media contracts and other documents, bank records, e-mail correspondence and the testimony of several co-conspirators who shared in the bribery spoils, including his former close pal-turned-state Confidential Witness No.1 (CW1) American Chuck Blazer, CW2 Jose Hawilla, a Brazilian sports marketing executive whose company Traffic paid Warner tens of millions of US dollars in bribes and his two sons, Daryll and Daryan Warner, who have already pleaded guilty to US corruption charges in exchange for reduced jail time.

Hawilla has also pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, obstruction of justice and other financial crimes. Another marketing executive, Aaron Davidson, who was head of Traffic group's US division in Miami, is also expected to enter a plea in the FIFA corruption case, according to the source.

Both men are said to have provided key information about Warner's rich decades-long relationship with the global sports and marketing company and its Miami affiliate, Inter/Forever Sports.

The disgraced Traffic executives have reportedly provided US prosecutors with details of the rich media rights deals Warner is alleged to have cut with the Brazilian-headquartered marketing giant, according to the US law enforcement source.

Traffic is said to have paid some US$35 million in kickbacks to Warner and Blazer, the former general secretary of CONCACAF, who helped US agents in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) build a sprawling multi-jurisdictional corruption case against top officials in FIFA's hierarchy.

In 2011, Blazer secretly tape-recorded his colleagues for the Feds, who have quietly been working the FIFA corruption case until their dramatic swoop down on a luxury hotel in Zurich and arrests of 14 men on May 27. He is said to have provided damning evidence of Warner's involvement in several bribery schemes, including a US$10 million bribe payment made to a Warner-created dummy programme called the African Diaspora Legacy in exchange for giving South Africa the vote to host the 2010 World Cup.

He also provided details of the bribery scheme related to the sale of the Gold Cup rights, a CONCACAF tournament held every two years featuring member associations.

Inter/Forever is said to have paid substantial millions of US dollars in kickbacks to secure the television and marketing rights as well as revenue from the sale of tickets to the tournament starting with the 1996 Gold Cup and continuing for subsequent editions.

Blazer and Hawilla, according to the source, have provided documentary evidence of the parallel contracts Warner signed with Inter/Forever. Payments to Warner and Blazer were made through intermediary accounts used by the Brazilian marketing company to disguise “the source and nature” of the payments, according to the source who is familiar with the case.

One of many such transactions paid by Inter/Forever was done through a company in Uruguay to a Barclays Bank account in the Cayman Islands in the name of Sportvertising Ltd, a Blazer-owned company. In the case of this particular transaction, which was routed through a correspondent bank in New York in March of 1999, Warner's share or half of the US$200K bribe payment was wire transferred a month later from Blazer's Cayman Islands account to a private Warner account at First Citizens Bank.

Inter/Forever also used other third party intermediaries to make its bribe payments to Warner and Blazer, including a Miami law firm which handled some of its legal business, the Sunday Express was told. Other documentary evidence on which the US corruption case hangs, relates to the theft of media rights earnings from the Warner-controlled Caribbean Football Union (CFU).

US prosecutors, according to the unsealed May indictment against Warner, have gone after the former FIFA executive Committee member for several of his more infamous transactions, including the theft of US$750,000 in emergency aid intended for earthquake-ravaged Haiti in 2010. Warner is alleged to have pocketed almost all of the relief money, US$700K to be exact. As reported previously by the Sunday Express, about US$155,000 was sold in US dollar currency trades to the JTA Group and International Shipping Ltd (ISL).

The US indictment against Warner details his corrupt dealings, specifically, allegations of theft of the Centre of Excellence from CONCACAF, the US$1.2 million bribe from Qatari billionaire Mohamed bin Hammam, the cash-for bribes affair which played out at the Hyatt hotel in Port of Spain and the theft of money from the Football Federation of Australia (FFA).

Warner is expected to appear before Chief Magistrate Marcia-Ayers Ceasar on July 27 to answer the US corruption charges and request for his extradition to New York. He has protested his innocence and made clear that he is going to fight the extradition request. He has retained British QC Edward Fitzgerald to lead his defence.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1280 on: July 23, 2015, 01:53:12 AM »
AG: Extradition papers are here.
By Anna Ramdass (Express).


US MOVES ON JACK

The United States government has moved in on corruption-accused Jack Warner.

Attorney General Garvin Nicholas announced at an impromptu news conference yesterday the extradition request for Warner was now in his hands.

Nicholas also assured there will be no political interference in the matter.

Nicholas called a news conference at 6.25 p.m. at the Office of the Attorney General, Cabildo building, Port of Spain, to disclose this information in a brief statement.

“I have this evening received the formal request for the extradition of Mr Warner with the supporting extradition package,” said Nicholas.

“The process is now for me to examine the documentation and consider the evidence and decide whether to issue the authority to process. This is of course a serious and substantial matter and must be given due time and attention,” he added.

Nicholas then answered a number of questions from the media.

Warner, a former FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) vice-president and leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP), has charged on numerous occasions that the Government was conspiring to get him out of this country. He has repeatedly said he has no intention of going anywhere without a fight and it will be a “long, hot summer”.

Nicholas said the legal process will be followed.

No political interference

Asked whether he can assure Warner and citizens there is no political interference in the extradition, given that the September 7 general election was just a few weeks away, Nicholas said, “This matter has absolutely nothing to do with politics... this is an extradition request made by the United States government. We've dealt with several extraditions over the last few months.

“This is also a matter that does not only concern Mr Warner, it concerns 14 persons that the Americans had asked to be extradited to the US to face charges. The State has gone about this and certainly the office of the Attorney General and all the players, whether it be the police, etc, has gone about this as professionally as possible following the letter of the law and offering Mr Warner and his team all due courtesies when possible.”

Asked for a time frame on his consideration of the extradition request, Nicholas said, “I will not put a time frame on my consideration time. The document, as you can see from the bundle, is quite significant and therefore requires due consideration.”

Nicholas said the extradition documents were sent from the United States Department of Justice to the US Embassy in Trinidad, which then sent them to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Copies were sent to the Attorney General's office and Central Authority.

“It is important to decide whether there is a case to be answered; and if there is a case to be answered, then the authority to proceed will be granted. And if in the Attorney General's discretion, there is not a case or sufficient evidence to proceed, then that is the discretion that will be exercised,” said Nicholas.

He said once a decision is taken, Warner's legal team will be notified and be given the opportunity to peruse all the evidence and a trial date will be set that is convenient to all sides.

Nicholas said there are no US officials in Trinidad on the case and it is in the hands of this country's authorities to deal with the matter.

Battery of lawyers

Warner is being represented by a battery of attorneys, including Fyard Hosein, SC, Nyree Alphonso, Rishi Dass and Anil Maharaj.

He has also retained British QC, Edward Fitzgerald, to lead his defence.

The State's legal team includes Pamela Elder, SC, attorneys Jagdeo Singh and Gerald Ramdeen, along with Alan Newman, QC, and James Lewis.

Questioned on why no State-employed attorneys were working on the case and instead all these lawyers were retained, Nicholas said: “We sought to get the experts in the field in criminal law, judicial review and extradition, and that was the decision made.”

Asked why attorneys were not sought from the Solicitor General's Department, he said, “The Solicitor General's office at the moment is actually quite stretched and this being such a significant matter that required a lot of time, a lot of attention and certainly action within a relatively short period of time. It was thought the best way to go was this way.”

Ramdeen stays

Questioned on whether any consideration was given to removing attorney Gerald Ramdeen from the State's legal team, given the allegations levelled against him with respect to “Prisongate”, Nicholas said, “No, I'm not.” Pressed why, Nicholas said, “I'm not.”

Nicholas, when asked by the media for proof and to show the first page and date of the document to verify it was indeed the extradition request, said: “No, I don't intend to show the document.”

He said he decided to inform the media of the arrival of the extradition request was to prevent the rumour mill from running and also because of the public interest in the case.

Sunday Express exclusive

The Sunday Express exclusively reported this week that Warner's extradition request would reach this country by Wednesday (yesterday), days before the July 27 deadline specified by the extradition treaty for the final request to be made.

Warner was among 14 football officials and marketing executives arrested in a sweeping US$150 million bribery scheme stretching over nearly a quarter of a century on May 27 in a dramatic US crackdown on global corruption in football.

Warner was charged with eight counts of financial crimes in connection with the FIFA corruption case, according to the US Department of Justice indictment, which was unsealed in the Eastern District Court in New York, USA, in May.

Warner has denied all of the charges made against him and has promised to put up a long legal battle to US prosecutors' bid to extradite him to New York to face charges of money laundering, wire fraud and racketeering.

Warner's sons, Daryll and Daryan Warner, have already pleaded guilty to US corruption charges in exchange for reduced jail time.

Jack’s extradition documents arrive.
By Derek Achong (Guardian).


The Office of the Attorney General has finally received the United States’ formal extradition request for former Fifa executive and current Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner.

Attorney General Garvin Nicholas made the announcement at a press conference at his Cabildo Chambers office, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday evening as he sought to dispel rumours over the arrival of the documents which are required for Warner’s extradition proceedings to commence.

Nicholas said: “The process is now for me to examine the documents and consider the evidence and decide whether to issue the authority to proceed.”

The official start of Warner’s case is dependent on Nicholas’s decision as only when he gives it, the documents on charges the former government minister is facing will be disclosed to his attorneys. His lawyers have already indicated they will need the documents to prepare Warner’s defence in his extradition proceedings.

Asked for a time frame for his decision in light of the fact that Warner is due to reappear before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar for the continuation of his case next Monday, Nicholas said he was in no rush.

“This is of course a serious and substantial matter and must be given due time and attention. I will not put a time frame on my consideration as the documents are very significant and therefore requires due deliberation,” Nicholas said. When asked to respond to Warner’s allegations that his (Nicholas) handling of the extradition was being influenced by politics, Nicholas firmly denied that.

“This matter has absolutely nothing to do with politics. I can say all legal and due process considerations will be taken as we move forward with this matter.

“The Office of the AG and all local players, whether it be the police, have gone about it as professionally as possible to the letter of the law and have offered Mr Warner and his team all due courtesies when possible,” Nicholas said. He also defended his decision to hire a formidable team of private lawyers to represent the US interest in the case instead of relying on internal staff of the Central Authority, which co-ordinates all extradition requests.

The legal team includes British Queen’s Counsel Allan Newman and James Lewis, local Senior Counsel Israel Khan and Pamela Elder and attorneys Jagdeo Singh, Gerald Ramdeen and Alvin Pariagsingh.

“We sought to get the experts in the fields of criminal law, judicial review and extradition. At the moment the Solicitor General’s Office is quite stretched and this being such a significant matter which requires a lot of time and attention and certainly action in a short period of time, it was thought this is the best way to go,” Nicholas said. 

Warner, 72, of Cynthia Drive, Five Rivers, Arouca, is accused of 12 charges related to fraud, racketeering and for engaging in illegal wire transfers. The offences are alleged to have taken place in the United States, T&T and other jurisdictions between 1990 and when Warner quit Fifa in June 2011.

He is one of 14 former executives of world football’s governing body who were indicted on a series of charges after an investigation into corruption in football conducted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Justice.

« Last Edit: July 23, 2015, 02:02:42 AM by Flex »
The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1281 on: July 24, 2015, 01:50:23 AM »
AG: No obligation to alert Warner on extradition papers.
By Anna Ramdass (Express).


I DON’T OWE JACK

Attorney General Garvin Nicholas said yesterday he will not be baited by Jack Warner's antics and stressed he had no obligation whatsoever to inform Warner the United States had sent extradition papers for him.

Nicholas called a news confe­rence on Wednesday to announce the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) had sent an extradition request for corruption-accused Warner and he (Nicholas) will consider the evidence and decide whether to issue the authority to process the extradition.

Nicholas said he decided to inform the media, given the public interest in Warner's matter.

Warner, a former FIFA (Féd­éra- tion Internationale de Football Associ­ation vice-president and leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP), is facing a number of charges by the US government, such as fraud, money laundering, racketeer­ing and other financial crimes, relating to his tenure at FIFA.

Warner was among 14 football officials and market­ing executives arrested on May 27, in a sweeping US$150 million bribery scheme stretching over nearly a quarter of a century, in a dramatic US crackdown on global corruption in football.

I won't engage with Warner

On Wednesday, the day the extradition papers came into the hands of the AG, Warner, at an ILP meeting in Diego Martin, claimed Nicholas owes him over $100,000 and he (Nicholas) should have had the courtesy to at least inform him the extradition papers were here.

Nicholas told the Express yesterday he has no intention of engaging in a political battle with Warner.

“Jack Warner first claimed that he gave me $15,000 for my 2002 election campaign 13 years ago, to which I chose not to comment as I have stated that I will not engage with Mr Warner. Last night (Wednesday), he increased his claim to $115,000, no doubt, in an attempt to provoke a reaction.

“I however will not be baited. At this time, with so much going on nationally, regionally and internationally, I need to stay focused on the issues that affect the nationals of Trinidad and Tobago. This is not a time to be distracted by political platform rhetoric,” said Nicholas.

“Additionally, I had absolutely no obligation to inform Mr Warner of the arrival of the formal request,” said Nicholas.

The extradition procedure

He said further, the Attor­ney Gen­eral's involvement in this matter is mandated by legal obligation and not political considerations as some may wish to state.

“If I decide not to proceed, then that's technically the end of the matter, if I decide to issue the authority to proceed, then that commences the matter. That is the procedure,” said Nicholas.

He pointed out he has presided over five extradition matters since he was appointed Attorney General in February this year by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and never once has he engaged with any of the accused.

Nicholas said the court process is technically a preliminary enquiry to determine whether Warner has a case to answer in the United States.

On May 27, the DOJ issued a provisional warrant of arrest for Warner. He has appeared before the courts on two occasions and is due to reappear next Monday.

After he spent a night in jail because of a problem in securing his $2.5 million bail, Warner vowed to expose Persad-Bissessar and her Government.

Since then, he has alleged Ni­cholas, Government Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal and Persad-Bissessar herself, as well as the United National Congress (UNC), were beneficiaries of his money.

The Prime Minister has refuted Warner's claims, saying she has ne­ver received any money from him.

ILP still in election race

Warner, the former member of Parliament for Chaguanas West, has said it will be a 15-year wait to determine this extradition matter. Despite his legal battles and, now, extradition hanging over his head, Warner and the ILP say they remain focused on contesting the September 7 general election and will continue fielding candidates.

Warner has not yet disclosed which seat he intends to fight, but sources say his eyes were on the heated Chaguanas East constituen­cy which was held by Transport Minister Stephen Cadiz.

ILP deputy leader Rekha Ramjit said Warner can contest the election, even as he faces extradition to the US.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1282 on: July 24, 2015, 01:51:49 AM »
Moonilal: Bring evidence against PM to embassy
T&T Express Reports.


Government Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal yesterday challenged corruption-accused Jack Warner to personally hand deliver his evidence of corruption against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to the United States Embassy.

On Wednesday, at an Independent Liberal Party (ILP) meeting in Diego Martin, Warner alleged Persad-Bissessar accepted cheques, one in particular for $1 million, from businessman Ishwar Galbaransingh.

Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson, both former United National Congress (UNC) financiers, are before local courts for corruption charges as it relates to the construction of Piarco International Airport.

The two were first indicted in 2005 in a Miami Federal Court on numerous fraud and money-laundering charges, stemming from alleged bid-rigging between 1996 and 2005 on contracts for Piarco International Airport.

Their extradition request from the US was quashed by Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, who ruled that they both be tried locally.

Warner claimed the transaction between the Prime Minister and Galbaransingh took place at the Lange Park house of Richardson Rampartap, in the company of attorney Devish Maharaj, former chairman of the Cha- ­guaramas Development Authority (CDA) board Danny Solomon and Moonilal.

Warner said he intends to take the evidence to the US Embassy, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the police and the Integrity Commission. He said further, if the US does not send an extradition request for Persad-Bissessar, then the US embassy is biased.

Barman account of a cheque

“It is ludicrous and pathetic. I hope for Warner's sake, this is not the quality of evidence he will take to the Brooklyn Federal court—this barman account of a cheque,” said Moonilal.

“Warner can get 100 years in jail with a defence of a barman. He is desperate. The barman witness reminds me of the bumbling barman in the 1968 comedy The Party, with Peter Sellers,” said Moonilal.

“I challenge Jack to deliver his letter to the US Embassy by hand,” Moonilal added.

He said further, his lawyers will look into the claims Warner made.

Efforts to contact Rampartap, Maharaj and Solomon proved futile.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1283 on: July 30, 2015, 05:53:38 AM »
I think to add some balance the PP controlled T&T media and newspapers need to start referring to Kamla as "Ganja-suspect".  :mackdaddy:
De higher a monkey climbs is de less his ass is on de line, if he works for FIFA that is! ;-)

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1284 on: July 31, 2015, 01:52:40 AM »
Jack to pay Anand $.9m.
By Rickie Ramdass (Express).


Blows for Jack

CORRUPTION-accused politician Jack Warner has been ordered to pay former attorney general Anand Ramlogan close to $1 million in damages after a High Court judge yesterday ruled against him in a lawsuit filed by Ramlogan for defamation of character.

Justice Robin Mohammed made the ruling at the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain saying Warner could provide no proof to back up the allegations made during an Independent Liberal Party (ILP) meeting in October 2013.

The lawsuit revolved around allegations that Ramlogan was the owner of more than 51 properties which he could not have acquired based on his salary as Attorney General.

In his 57-page ruling, Justice Mohammed said it was clear to the court Warner made the allegations in the midst of the local government election with the intention of gaining a political advantage over Ramlogan and the Government.

“Such objective of political gain ought not to have been pursued at the costs of lowering the claimant's reputation in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public, discrediting the claimant in his Office of the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago and exposing the claimant and his family to ridicule and contempt, particularly in circumstances where the defendant showed no evidence or belief in the truth of the defamatory statements,” said the judge.

Ramlogan was awarded $600,000 in general damages inclusive of aggravated damages, $200,000 in exemplary damages and an additional $94,000 in prescribed costs—a total of $894,000.

Cost is to be assessed by the Registrar of the Supreme Court as it relates to an application made by Warner during the trial to amend his witness statement.

Warner to appeal

However, Ramlogan will not immediately be awarded the money as the court ruled that there is to be a 28-day stay of the execution of the order given that Warner, through his attorneys, signalled his intention to appeal the order.

Following the judgment, Ramlogan told reporters he felt vindicated by the judge's decision.

“Mr Warner had made some very outrageous and malicious accusations against me that I was the owner of over 51 properties and with a hint of corruption. I do not own anything near that and of course I was very outraged by his statements and the fact that he could have gone so far to make it on a political platform in the height of an election campaign,” said Ramlogan.

He said Warner, who was not present during the hearing, has made a trademark of himself in politics by making malicious and scandalous accusations against individuals without any evidence to back up his claims.

“I see he is doing the same thing with the honourable Prime Minister now and when the time comes to produce the evidence to back it up, what he does is cry wolf and run away. His day will come in judgment, not just in my matter, but in many others against who he has made the most scandalous accusations without a shred of evidence and today is just one of many judgments to come against him,” he said.

Ramlogan further added that if Warner does in fact appeal the judge's decision, he (Ramlogan) will cross appeal with the argument that the amount awarded to him should have been greater.

He said if Warner intends to appeal the matter he should also pay the sum ordered by Justice Mohammed into the court “given the limited duration of time he might have left in Trinidad and Tobago.”

Good friends for 20 years

During the trial, Warner testified that from as early as 2010 he had knowledge of Ramlogan being involved in wrongdoing by using his office for personal gain. Despite this, Warner said he never brought the information into the public domain given that both of them were Cabinet colleagues.

In his defence, Warner testified that it was Ramlogan himself who provided him with the information of the properties he owned and that he was simply repeating on the political platform what was said to him by Ramlogan while they were in Government together in 2010 and 2012.

He had further pointed out that he and Ramlogan were “good friends” for the past 20 years and whatever was said by him against Ramlogan during political campaigns in 2013 was strictly politics and was not meant to be an attack on Ramlogan's character or reputation.

Ramlogan denies owning the properties

Ramlogan however, denied being the owner of the properties and testified that even though he and Warner were Cabinet colleagues and would have discussed issues of national importance, he never trusted Warner to confide in him concerning his personal business.

Ramlogan had contended that the statements made by Warner generated harsh comments from members of society, some of which branded him “as corrupt and a thief”.

He said the statements were often a topic of discussion in his family, among professionals and even among distinguished jurists regionally with whom he had to interact in his capacity as Attorney General. He had further expressed his feelings of distress and embarrassment which were caused to him in the midst of the defamatory words which often in conversations called on him to defend his name.

Representing Ramlogan in the lawsuit were attorneys Avory Sinanan, SC, Gerald Ramdeen, Kelvin Ramkissoon and Varun Dabideen, while Keith Scotland, Asha Watkins-Montserin and Jacqueline Chang appeared for Warner.

Calls to Warner's cellphone for comment on the court's ruling yesterday evening were unsuccessful as all calls went unanswered.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Flex

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1285 on: August 02, 2015, 07:57:07 AM »
Hold your hand, Mr AG
By JADA LOUTOO (Newsday).


ATTORNEY General Garvin Nicholas is being asked to recuse himself from issuing the authority for the Chief Magistrate to proceed with extradition proceedings for former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.

Lawyers for the Independent Liberal Party leader wrote Nicholas two days after he received the formal extradition request from the United States, claiming bias on his part and the People’s Partnership government of which he is a member.

In the letter, dated July 25, and written by Warner’s instructing attorney Nyree Alfonso, Warner threatened High Court action if Nicholas did not hold his hands on the issuance of the authority to proceed and correspond with the Chaguanas West MP’s legal team on the matter.

“It would be unfortunate if a refusal to recuse engenders further delay in this matter by having any adverse decision set aside by the High Court on the basis of the appearance of bias,” Alfonso said in the letter.

“In the interest of transparency we ask that you hold your hands in relation to any decision to issue an authority to proceed until there is an exchange of correspondence and the Office of the AG makes firm decision as to how it intends to proceed,” the letter advised.

On Monday last, Warner hinted at possible legal action being taken as he left the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court on his third court appearance since he surrendered to police on May 27.

He complained that his matter was being prosecuted in the public domain.

The 60 days for the US to make the formal request, and provide a record of its case against Warner, expired on Sunday last. Four days prior to the expiration of the 60-day period, the necessary documentation and formal request were received by the AG and the Central Authority, which oversees extraditions.

Warner has been indicted in the United States on multiple counts of fraud, racketeering, money laundering and corruption.

The Extradition (Commonwealth and Foreign Terrorities) Act specifically states that the warrant to proceed must be issued by the Attorney General. Legal sources said in the event the Attorney General in an extradition request is conflicted, then the role to issue the authority to proceed can go to the Head of the Central Authority or alternatively another person can be appointed to act as Attorney General.

In the letter, Alfonso supported the call for recusal with references made by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and members of her government as well as claims of Nicholas being previously “financed and indebted to Warner,” referring to claims by the ILP leader that he financed the AG’s campaign in the 2010 general election.

Alfonso said the issuance of the authority to proceed — a quasi-judicial process — required fairness. “It is a matter of record that our client is a political opponent of the current government of Trinidad and Tobago and in particular the Prime Minister and various other members of the cabinet. Our client has for this reason been subject of frequent public comment by the Prime Minister, the attorney general and various other members of the cabinet.”

Alfonso also referred to what she described as “ominous” and “troubling political interference” with the extradition process and “a history of hostility demonstrated by members of the government”.

She said the provisional warrant issued for Warner’s arrest was politically disseminated even before he was provided with a copy. She also noted that the document was read out by the Prime Minister at a sitting of the Lower House on May 27, five days before Warner received a copy of the provisional warrant.

Alfonso warned that any interference with the liberty of a citizen without disclosure of the terms and basis for such interference was questionable and unlawful.

“At the provisional warrant arrest stage the Prime Minister plays no part in the extradition process which meant that the supply of the provisional warrant was both gratuitous and unlawful. It appears that the extraordinary step of supplying the Prime Minister with a copy of the provisional warrant was undertaken for the sole purpose of facilitating her disclosure of same to the Parliament.” Alfonso further said the troubling politicisation of the extradition process continued when Nicholas held a press conference when he received the formal extradition request and comments were made by members of the government prior to Warner or his legal team being notified.

She referred to eight newspaper articles published in the three daily newspapers as well as an internet news source to support further claims of hostility against Warner by the Government.

“Among other things, our client has been publicly described by members of the Government as delusional, a joker, disgusting, part of a gruesome twosome with the leader of the Opposition, a neemakharam, a liar, a problem for the whole country, and as hurting the image of the entire country. “In the present case, the hostility is towards a direct and actual political opponent and manifests itself in the crucial time preliminary to a general election scheduled to be held on September 7, 2015.”

Alfonso’s letter also said references were made of public allegations of wrongdoing by Warner in relation to his activities as former FIFA vice president.

‘Some of this conduct will overlap with allegations contained in the request for our clients with the result that there has been a public predetermination of our client’s guilt. We note in this contest that predetermination is a freestanding ground for disqualification on the grounds of bias. Additionally we note that the Minister of Legal Affairs Mr Prakash Ramadhar, also a member of the Cabinet, has publicly called upon our client to surrender suggesting that our client is wasting time by not doing so. This followed earlier statements of Mr Ramadhar in Parliament (Hansard 19 November 2014) in which he suggested that our client was guilty of criminal conduct during his tenure at FIFA.”

Alfonso noted that written objection has already been made as to the impropriety of the AG retaining and relying on advice of attorneys retained on behalf of the Requesting State when domestically, the Central Authority acts as the attorney for the Requesting State further to this country’s treaty obligations.

“In relation to any decision as to whether an ATP should be issued, the Attorney General must independently exercise his discretion.”

Alfonso said for the AG to be advised by those lawyers who are on record for the Requesting State was inconsistent with the independent exercise of his discretion.

“Any such decision which is arrived at by the Attorney General following such advice will be tainted and vitiated bias.”

Judicial review could stall extradition proceedings against Warner, with appeals going to the London-based Privy Council, the country’s highest court. Trinidad and Tobago gained independence from Britain in the 1960s but retained the Privy Council as its final court of appeal.

Warner, currently on bail in connection with a provisional arrest warrant, is wanted in the United States to face a dozen charges including bribery, corruption and wire fraud conspiracy in his role at FIFA.

Warner appeared for a third time before judge Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ court, with lawyers from both sides requesting more time to examine the 166-page extradition document which the Attorney General’s office received last week from the United States.

The case was adjourned to August 28.

Warner is among nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives charged by the US Department of Justice with running a criminal enterprise that involved more than $150 million in bribes.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Flex

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1286 on: August 16, 2015, 05:50:52 AM »
Jack gets details of PM’s private liaisons...
By Renuka Singh (Guardian).


‘Too much hypocrisy’

Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner is putting together another political bombshell—one that further intrudes into the private life of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. On Friday night, speaking at an ILP forum in Arima, Warner pledged to “do anything” to get Persad-Bissessar out of office. He mentioned then that he had a big “mark to buss” on her.

The Sunday Guardian has learned that the “mark” will come from the recording of a conversation he had with National Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (Nidco) communications manager, Ingrid Ishmael, in which Ishmael divulges confidential information on Persad-Bissessar’s private life, including past liaisons during her stint as leader of the opposition and while in office.

The Sunday Guardian obtained copies of taped conversations between Warner and Ishmael, which spoke about women said to be connected to the Prime Minister.

The women, according to the audio, allegedly shared a history with Persad-Bissessar and are now working in various ministries.

One of them, who is said to be favoured by Persad-Bissessar, was appointed to a consulate.

According to the audio, Ishmael, who claimed to have worked with Persad-Bissessar for 23 years, is willing to testify in court and swear on the Bible that what she is saying is the truth.

The Sunday Guardian yesterday contacted Ishmael to verify that it was her voice on the recording.

“Yes, I know what you are talking about,” she said.

“I don’t know how you plan to deal with this but what I said in that conversation with Mr Warner is the truth,” Ishmael added.

Ishmael said she worked closely with Persad-Bissessar when she was the then opposition leader and was privy to several aspects of Persad-Bissessar’s private life.

Ishmael said she worked with Persad-Bissessar as communications specialist at the Ministries of Education, Legal Affairs and Office of the Attorney General, as well as media relations officer at the Office of the Opposition Leader.

Ishmael said she has only now decided to break her silence because of her beliefs.

“I don’t believe a woman who prides herself on being the ‘mother of the nation’ but carries on like this in her private life should be given another chance in office. I cannot stand the hypocrisy of it at all,” she said. Ishmael confirmed that she turned to Warner to vent.

“I was there when they spoke about Mr Warner even when he was in the party and they referred to Mr Warner in the most degrading terms,” she said.

“That hypocrisy was too much,” she said.

“I do not push for fame. I work very hard. I am not doing this for any monetary nothing. I want my country back...”

While there is no date on the audio recording, the two talk about needing the information from the women involved “like yesterday,” as the election was “only four weeks away.”

The timing of Warner’s latest bombshell comes in the last few weeks of the United National Congress’ campaign for re-election. But at least one political analyst is questioning whether revealing information on a politician’s private life would have the desired outcome.

Just a week ago, news broke that former Express investigative journalist Anika Gumbs was “traumatised” by what she claimed were sexual advances by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.

Gumbs cited Rowley’s alleged behaviour as the reason behind her surprise resignation from the Express Newspaper.

Several calls and a text to Persad-Bissessar’s mobile phone went unanswered yesterday.

Political Analyst: Negative news could turn off key undecided voters

Analyst Mukesh Basdeo yesterday warned that while negative news about a politician’s private life may not affect loyal voters, it could turn off the key undecided voter.

“The idea of talking about the private lives of politicians is really to tarnish the public image of that politician. It is saying to the voters that this is the person behind that public image and to chip away at that,” Basdeo said.

“And obviously that could have an impact on the person vying for office.”

He said to alleviate this situation, the candidate-screening process must now move past the person’s viability for office and look at the person’s private life.

“It is now at the point where, like the US and the UK, we are holding persons in high office to a higher standard and we expect a certain type of behaviour from them because of the office they hold,” Basdeo said.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline AB.Trini

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Re: Warner: Where the money gone?
« Reply #1287 on: August 24, 2015, 10:12:33 PM »
Good question to ask come September 10

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1288 on: September 03, 2015, 09:42:22 AM »
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/1QfK4Xm56P4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/1QfK4Xm56P4</a>

At about 14', JW identifies Toco/Sangre Grande as a seat attainable by the ILP.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2015, 09:49:04 AM by asylumseeker »

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Jack Warner General Section Thread.
« Reply #1289 on: September 03, 2015, 10:04:13 AM »
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/aimdJwI7G0Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/aimdJwI7G0Y</a>


 

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