Tim Kee calls for Caribbean unity in CONCACAF

Tim Kee is particularly perturbed that the Caribbean was left out of the decision-making process when a week ago, CONCACAF’S Executive appointed a Special Committee charged with evaluating and sustaining all of the business operations of the Confederation. This Special Committee was appointed in the wake of the corruption indictments brought against former CONCACAF president Jack Warner and Warner’s replacement Cayman Islands banker Jeffrey Webb.

The Special Committee appointed to run the 41-strong CONCACAF federation consists only of the three North Americans representatives. Appointed were Victor Montagliani, the president of the Canadian Soccer Association, Justino Compean, the president of the Mexican Soccer Federation and Sunil Gulati, the president of US Soccer Federation. The Caribbean has a majority of 28 countries in CONCACAF.

“They have appointed an Emergency Committee to look after the business of CONCACAF until the term comes to an end,” Tim Kee declared. “The thing that stood out for me, is that not one member of the CFU (Caribbean Football Union), who has the largest compliment of votes in CONCACAF, was sitting on that.”

Tim Kee is unaware if there was consultation between the CONCACAF Executive Committee and CFU president Antiguan Gordon Derrick, before recent decisions were made.

Further, Tim Kee hinted that Derrick should have objected had any such consultation taken place. “As to whether there were any objections, it is reasonable to argue there would have been the inclusion of somebody from the Caribbean (as a result). That did not happen, and that may be the style of the president of the CFU (Derrick), who may have opted to take a certain direction.

“But, at the end of the day, I don’t know if that is something we want, and we have to correct that,” the Trinidadian insurance executive and Port of Spain mayor said.

Tim Kee admitted to having spoken to some Caribbean colleagues on the matter.

“I have had conversions with some presidents of the other islands in the CFU about that situation and that is something we should seek to address,” he added.

Tim Kee said that, traditionally, the US and Mexico try to dominate CONCACAF because of financial and political influence, but at the end of the day, Caribbean votes will determine who takes power.

He further said that he expected challenges for the Caribbean, now that Caribbean representatives Warner and Webb are removed from the helm. “Now that both parties are out, and the Caribbean not represented, I suspect there will be some challenges coming to the Caribbean until we stand up and insist that must not happen because we have numbers,” said Tim Kee.

“The thing that carries you in football is numbers, not necessarily money, because numbers are votes,” added Tim Kee. “I can see some turbulence initially, but things will soon smooth out in a real way by (the Caribbean) having a voice on the Executive of CONCACAF,” he ended.

RELATED NEWS

Govt did not jail Jack
By VERNE BURNETT (Newsday)

Government yesterday denied any involvement in Jack Warner’s jailing last Wednesday.

The former FIFA vice president, leader of the Independent Liberal Party and Chaguanas West Member of Parliament, spent Wednesday night at the State Prison on Frederick Street, Port- of-Spain after he was unable to have his bail documents approved in time to allow his release on the charges unsealed by US Attorney General Loretta Lynch in Brooklyn last week accusing him of involvement in a 24-year scheme to enrich himself by corrupting football.

At a news conference yesterday at the offices of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Communications at Nicholas Towers, Independence Square, Port-of-Spain, Government spokesman, Andy Johnson said Warner spent the night in jail simply because of his failure to complete his bail arrangements on time following his court appearance on charges of racketeering, wire fraud and money-laundering.

Johnson said Warner’s jail stay was due only “to the fact that the system closed down before those arrangements were completed and of course you know that they were completed the following day and Mr Warner left the prison. Mr Warner is seeking to make a link between the Government of Trinidad and Tobago — I have heard him at least once accusing the Prime Minister of putting him in jail — but nothing could be further from the truth. The political administration does not get involved in matters of this sort and the process takes its course and the process is taking its course. He went to court and was remanded to appear at a later date.”

Johnson said that at no stage did the political administration have anything to do with the matter. “That would have been highly inappropriate and irregular.” He condemned the extent to which he said not only Warner but several other people in the country continue to make a link between the Government and Warner “that is patently not correct.”

He said that because of the widespread accusations the Government felt it was necessary to make the point that “nothing having to do with the proximity of elections to be called in Trinidad and Tobago and Mr Warner’s estrangement from the Government of which he had been a part — none of that matters and relates to what has been happening with these indictments based on investigations by the United States authorities at all.”

Jack claims Fifa $$$ funded PP.
T&T Guardian Reports.

Embattled former Fifa vice-president and Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner is now saying that there is a link between Fifa’s millions and the successful People’s Partnership political campaign in 2010.

During an eight-minute address to the nation last night, Warner said he had compiled a series of cheques and supporting documents that corroborate his financial support to the PP's successful general campaign in 2010 and its link to Fifa. These documents have already been put in the hands of his attorneys.

“The link between Fifa, its funding and me, the link between Fifa, its funding and the United National Congress and the People’s Partnership government,” Warner said.

“These documents deal with the Section 34 fiasco, it also deals with my knowledge of the transactions at Fifa, including but not limited to its president Mr Sepp Blatter and lastly other matters involving the nation’s current Prime Minister.”

Warner said because he is now genuinely afraid for his life, he has passed the packet of documents on to several lawyers and the matter is now out of his hands.

“It is beyond even my own reach, retracting them is an impossibility. There can be no turning back,” he said.

He said his lawyers were making contact with local and foreign law enforcement officials based on the material contained in his statements.

“Even if these approaches do not bear fruit, my careful dissemination on the material to certain persons of standing in society means there can be no reversal,” he said, adding that this was a sad turn of events.

Warner apologised for not speaking out on these matters sooner and did not offer an explanation as to why he kept these ‘secrets’ away from the public.

“My judgement was initially that the People’s Partnership, as bad as it was, and still is, was better for this country than any other government, except possibly a government of the ILP,” he said.

“I will no longer keep secrets for them, I will no longer keep secrets for those persons who seek to actively destroy this country's hard-won international image.

“At the age of 72 years old, I have no intention of allowing them of depriving me of my freedom.”

Warner admitted that he had neglected his family for years and now they were experiencing a “turbulent future,” but said he had placed his own future in the hands of his constituents.

“I have told the truth in my statements and before you tonight, and with God’s grace, the people of this country will in due course make a judgement on the basis of what I said to them,” he said and asked for the people to pray for him and his family.