IN the glare of world-wide publicity of the shocking corruption scandals engulfing FIFA, the international federation for the most famous sporting game in the universe, it was inevitable that Trinidad and Tobago would have been the most affected CARICOM state among Regional countries in CONCACAF, the hemispheric body.Once U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration had chosen to identify former CONCAFAC’s Vice-President, Jack Warner, a high profile Trinidadian politician and former senior cabinet minister in the government of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, on criminal corruption charges prior to extradition to the USA, it was predictable that T&T would also suffer some of the negative fall-outs.
This was the scenario up to late yesterday with open verbal clashes involving Warner, a former National Security Minister of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and ex-chairman of her United National Congress (UNC) party.
She subsequently dismissed the controversial Warner amid spreading allegations of corruption. Now, against the backdrop of the current dreaded FIFA fiasco and arrangements for extradition proceedings in the USA, the T&T Prime Minister on Friday read into the official record of the country’s Parliament, the corruption indictment against the disgraced former FIFA Vice-President – once a most influential person in CONCACAF.

Warner was arrested in a sweeping corruption probe launched by U.S. authorities last week and taken to prison in Trinidad’s capital Port of Spain. On Thursday, the 72-year-old appeared in court, where a judge detailed eight counts against him and then set bail at 2.5m Trinidadian dollars (US$395,000). He was also told he must surrender his passport and report to police twice a week.

The Trinidad Guardian newspaper said Warner did not enter a plea and was scheduled to appear in court again on 12 July, but police said there was a delay in processing his bail and he would spend one night in jail.

However, after complaining of exhaustion, Warner was taken to hospital for treatment but was later pictured surrounded by supporters during a political rally organised by his Independent Liberal Party in Chaguanas.
“If I have been thieving Fifa money for 30 years, who gave me the money? How come he is not charged? Why only persons from Third World countries have been charged?” Warner asked at the rally.
The Guardian also reported that Warner is facing extradition to the US to stand trial but denied any wrongdoing in a statement on Thursday.

Warner has cried “foul play” – the dread scream being heard, read and viewed across the world in relation to how very top and influential FIFA officials have been conducting themselves.
If they have not already crafted their statements, it would be useful for the Guyanese public to learn of the official responses of the Guyana Football Federation as well as the Ministry of Sports. In the meantime, let’s wait with bated breath like the rest of the world to see what new revelations this shocking scandal will bring to the fore in the days, weeks and months ahead.