Jack’s red flag
Monday, October 17 2011
In light of last week’s damaging internationally broadcast video in which Works and Infrastructure Minister Jack Warner allegedly urged Caribbean Football Union (CFU) delegates at a CFU meeting on May 11 to accept gifts, Warner must either step down or have his Cabinet appointment revoked.
On at least five occasions in the past we have in Editorials called upon Warner to do the right thing and step down. Already he has insisted following on the broadcast of the video that he will not resign. If, however, he maintains his position and does not submit his resignation to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar within 24 hours then we, publicly, put to Persad-Bissessar that she must either demand that Warner resign or advise the President to revoke his appointment.
We note, for the record that under Section 77, subsection 3 : “A Minister other than the Prime Minister shall vacate his office – where his appointment is revoked by the President acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.” And while we accept the provision under Trinidad and Tobago law that an accused person must be presumed innocent until proven guilty, nonetheless Warner’s voice in the video in which he reportedly urged the Caribbean Football Union delegates to accept gifts from then FIFA presidential candidate, Mohammed bin Hamman, is clear and unmistakable.
Interestingly, Warner’s reaction was not one of denial of the voice being his, but rather that the video had been doctored. Warner should step aside and if he wishes to he can seek to demonstrate that the video was tampered with. But he should not remain on as a Cabinet Minister while such a damning document exists virtually unchallenged.
While Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar advised media representatives on Thursday that she had referred the matter to the Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, after viewing the video and reading the associated transcripts “whether there is anything to be concerned about”, we hold that may not be enough. What does the Prime Minister mean, when after being questioned as to whether she continued to throw her full support behind Warner she replied: “I will await comments from the Attorney General”
The 1976 Republican Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago is silent on any input by the holder of the office of Attorney General with respect to a Prime Minister advising the President to revoke the appointment of a Minister. While we do not question the Prime Minister’s prerogative to seek the advice of the Attorney General in this or any matter we would have been more comfortable with a precedent being cited.
Nationals are entitled to be uncomfortable with the video’s contents and the negative international impact they can have. The situation has not been helped by Jack Warner’s tacitly dismissive statement that he was not resigning. He should and must step down.
He should be required to explain the position attributed to him in the video. It is a position, which we pointed to earlier, in which Warner was alleged to have urged Caribbean Football Union delegates to accept gifts from bin Hamman. Warner should see the importance of taking steps to have his name cleared of allegations that he urged the acceptance of these gifts.
Did these gifts not constitute millions of dollars which had been reportedly brought into this country without official authorisation, and clearly far in excess of what is allowed under Trinidad and Tobago’s Customs regulations? In the meantime, what steps have the Commissioner of Police taken to date following on the broadcast of the video? Has anyone been interviewed? The video has inferred that an action in conflict with the laws of Trinidad and Tobago, specifically as they relate to Customs regulations as well as the question of allegedly offering bribes. Has the Customs and Excise hierarchy initiated investigations into the alleged incident?
We insist that Warner must go. The red flag has been shown.
