BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – EMBATTLED former FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF President Austin Jack Warner has resigned as National Security Minister in the Kamla Persad-Bissessar led Cabinet, following allegations of fraud while at the helm of the regions football governing body.
Information reaching SKNVibes stated that Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced last night (Apr. 21) that she had accepted Warner’s resignation and has appointed Minister Emmanuel George as his replacement.
According to a report in the Trinidad Guardian Newspaper, the announcement came following a five-hour emergency Cabinet meeting at the PM’s Phillipine residence, which was attended by Warner.
It continued that at 7:30 p.m., Persad-Bissessar emerged from the meeting, which began at 2 pm, and issued a brief statement to the media on hand.
“I just wish to say that I have accepted the resignation of Jack Warner as Minister of National Security,” she told reporters, who had camped out outside her home all day after learning of the emergency talks.
“I have advised his Excellency Mr. Anthony Carmona to appoint Senator Emmanuel George as Minister of National Security and to add to the portfolio of Minister (Dr. Suruj) Rambachan, in addition to his portfolio, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure,” she said.
This announcement came two days after a damning CONCACAF report, prepared by Barbadian Sir David Simmons, revealed alleged incidences of fraud and misappropriation of funds under Warner’s tenure as CONCACAF’s President.
The media house also reported that Persad-Bissessar yesterday told reporters she was now only waiting to sign the document rescinding Warner’s appointment and approving George’s.
Asked if accepting Warner’s resignation was difficult, Persad-Bissessar said: “All decisions are difficult.”
Warner, the MP for Chaguanas West, is also Chairman of the United National Congress.
Persad-Bissessar however said that his post at the UNC is “not a post that I can take away from Mr. Warner”.
In explaining her choice for National Security Minister, the PM said George was a “competent minister” who has “experience” and “long years of service in the Public Service”.
“He understands the working of government from being a public servant as a permanent secretary and as a minister,” she said.
The Ethics and Integrity Committee of the CONCACAF said that its former President and Secretary General enriched themselves through fraud during their terms with the organisation.
The Committee presented an extensive report Friday (Apr. 19) on the activities of former President Jack Warner and former Secretary General Chuck Blazer at the CONCACAF Congress in Panama City, which was also attended by FIFA President Sepp Blatter.
Committee Member David Simmons said "our information shows that they committed fraud".
The 70-year-old Warner resigned as CONCACAF president in June 2011 after Blazer accused him and then Asian Confederation head Mohamed bin Hammam of attempting to bribe Caribbean delegates, US$40 000 each, to vote for bin Hammam in the FIFA Presidential Election. Blazer resigned as CONCACAF's Secretary General in December 2011.
To this accusation, Blazer didn't respond to an email seeking his comment.
In the past, Blazer attributed money he received to commissions he said that were due him for commercial contracts he negotiated.
The Committee focused its report on Warner, who had headed CONCACAF for almost 30 years, and Blazer's administrative and financial dealings.
It found 'fraud' in the management of a training center built in 1995 to help players in the region train and improve their game, Simmons said.
The center, which was later named in honour of former FIFA President Joao Havelange, was built in Port of Spain, capital of Trinidad and Tobago, Warner's home country. At the time, Warner was also a FIFA Vice President.
'Warner represented to FIFA that funds would be used to support development but never told FIFA that centre would be situated on land owned by his companies,' Simmons said.
Warner 'deceived persons and organisations' into believing the facility was CONCACAF's and not his, he added.
Almost $26M was invested in that project between 1996 and 2006, of which a substantial portion was donated by FIFA.
The Committee didn't have access to the training center's finance center and neither Warner nor Blazer cooperated with the investigation, Simmons said.
Blazer embezzled at least $21M by compensating himself with CONCACAF funds without any authorization, Simmons said.
Blazer, the most senior American official at FIFA for 16 years, also bought some apartments with CONCACAF money, he added.
Simmons said Blazer, 67, was 'entirely negligent' because he didn't file income tax returns for the organisation in the United States, which led to the CONCACAF losing its non-profit organisation tax-exempt status.
Simmons also said that while Warner presided the organisation, he had used auditors from Trinidad-based Kenny Rampersad and Company, whose services were also used by Warner and Blazer for personal financial matters.
'I have recounted a sad and sorry tale in the life of CONCACAF, a tale of abuse of position and power, by persons who assisted in bringing the organisation to profitability but who enriched themselves at the expense of their very own organisations,' said Simmons, a former Barbados Chief Justice, while talking about the report for more than an hour.
Both Warner and Blazer have denied any wrongdoing.
CONCACAF appointed the Investigative Committee after both men had resigned.
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