IT is good to learn that among issues of importance slated to be discussed as priorities at next month’s Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government Conference in Barbados would be the negative implications for this Region amid the unfolding bizarre corruption and bribery money scandals engulfing the world’s leading football association, FIFA.

This is not because of the consequences of charges facing a former cabinet minister and current parliamentarian of Trinidad and Tobago (Jack Warner) or identified top FIFA officials, among them long-serving President, Sepp Blatter, who won re-election and then announced his resignation.
Rather, it has much to do with protecting our own national/regional sovereignty as a consequence of the nature of international political and financial powers at work and, in particular, the roles being played by the investigative and law enforcement agencies and institutions of the United States of America currently driving the campaign against FIFA officials.
Of related significance is that an ex-FIFA executive member, Chuck Blazer, is currently collaborating with the US Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Blazer has already pleaded “guilty” to corruption charges and entered into a deal with US law enforcement officials to carry a wire-tap to help implicate “other persons of interest”, according to the BBC’s North American Editor,
The FBI’s probe has now been extended, (expediently), to include the awards by FIFA for hosting of both the 2018 and 2022 world cup events — Russia and Qatar respectively, having earlier implicated South Africa in bribery allegations for the 2010 World Cup.
Those interested in exposures of corruption and bribery scandals have also noted the manner and timing of the FBI and justice administration system to create problems for FIFA’s involvement in proceeding with the hosting of the 2018 and 2022 world cup events.
In preparation for discussion at their summit meeting next month, it may perhaps be useful for CARICOM leaders to also seek advisories from South Africa in relation to hosting of the 2010 world cup and FIFA’s subsequent awards for Russia and Qatar respectively
Given the extreme pressures, due to domestic party politics it is currently under, the Trinidad and Tobago Government would be expected to be ready with an informed brier of its own to enable informed discussion at the coming CARICOM summit.
Whatever their intent, it is reasonable to assume that our Community’s Heads of Government cannot avoid the necessity to make an informed public statement either during or at the conclusion of their summit in Barbados.