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Jack wants to be PM, says FIFA
Juhel Browne jbrowne@trinidadexpress.com
Friday, October 26th 2007
FIFA, the world football governing body, has said that it is United National Congress Alliance chairman Jack Warner who is seeking to become prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
FIFA did so on in a report on its official website about Warner's trip to South Africa in his capacity as the body's vice president over the past two days which said he was "leading the party's campaign to win the November 5 general election in Trinidad and Tobago".
"Warner is currently campaigning to become the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago and arrived in South Africa with a delegation which included Basdeo Panday, with whom he is co-leader of the United National Congress Alliance political party," the FIFA website said.
Panday accompanied Warner on the trip and both are scheduled to return to Trinidad and Tobago early today.
The FIFA website said Warner paid "a whistle-stop visit" to South Africa yesterday to meet with that country's former President Nelson Mandela, as well as executives of the country's Premier Soccer League (PSL) as the country seeks to win the bid to host the FIFA 2010 World Cup.
Warner was also given an update on the status of South Africa's 2010 preparations by its Organising Committee.
He had made no mention of the FIFA aspect of his trip when he announced on Tuesday night that he and Panday were flying out of the country on a private jet early Wednesday morning to go to South Africa to see Mandela.
Warner told UNC Alliance supporters at a public meeting at San Juan on Tuesday night that he and Panday were flying to South Africa to see Mandela.
His announcement raised intense speculation that Warner was meeting with Mandela to try and get him to endorse the UNC Alliance by either visiting Trinidad and Tobago or sending a message of support via video.
Neither Warner nor Panday could be reached on their cell phones Wednesday or yesterday.
The FIFA website confirmed that Warner and Panday paid "a courtesy call" on Mandela at the Johannesburg office of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
The website said Panday described the visit with Mandela as"inspirational".
The FIFA website said that during his one-day trip Warner "viewed the construction site of the Soccer City stadium that will host the 2010 opening match and final."
In the FIFA report, Warner was quoted as saying: "I am in South Africa to bond with you guys. You have defied all the critics of doom and gloom. I've been told at every stage that FIFA is quite happy with the work underway in South Africa at the moment. There seem to be no real concerns."
Juhel Browne jbrowne@trinidadexpress.com
Friday, October 26th 2007
FIFA, the world football governing body, has said that it is United National Congress Alliance chairman Jack Warner who is seeking to become prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
FIFA did so on in a report on its official website about Warner's trip to South Africa in his capacity as the body's vice president over the past two days which said he was "leading the party's campaign to win the November 5 general election in Trinidad and Tobago".
"Warner is currently campaigning to become the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago and arrived in South Africa with a delegation which included Basdeo Panday, with whom he is co-leader of the United National Congress Alliance political party," the FIFA website said.
Panday accompanied Warner on the trip and both are scheduled to return to Trinidad and Tobago early today.
The FIFA website said Warner paid "a whistle-stop visit" to South Africa yesterday to meet with that country's former President Nelson Mandela, as well as executives of the country's Premier Soccer League (PSL) as the country seeks to win the bid to host the FIFA 2010 World Cup.
Warner was also given an update on the status of South Africa's 2010 preparations by its Organising Committee.
He had made no mention of the FIFA aspect of his trip when he announced on Tuesday night that he and Panday were flying out of the country on a private jet early Wednesday morning to go to South Africa to see Mandela.
Warner told UNC Alliance supporters at a public meeting at San Juan on Tuesday night that he and Panday were flying to South Africa to see Mandela.
His announcement raised intense speculation that Warner was meeting with Mandela to try and get him to endorse the UNC Alliance by either visiting Trinidad and Tobago or sending a message of support via video.
Neither Warner nor Panday could be reached on their cell phones Wednesday or yesterday.
The FIFA website confirmed that Warner and Panday paid "a courtesy call" on Mandela at the Johannesburg office of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
The website said Panday described the visit with Mandela as"inspirational".
The FIFA website said that during his one-day trip Warner "viewed the construction site of the Soccer City stadium that will host the 2010 opening match and final."
In the FIFA report, Warner was quoted as saying: "I am in South Africa to bond with you guys. You have defied all the critics of doom and gloom. I've been told at every stage that FIFA is quite happy with the work underway in South Africa at the moment. There seem to be no real concerns."
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