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Warner named in Haitian aid scandal
Written by Lasana Liburd
... FIFA allegedly stops TTFF funds
On 12 February 2012
http://wired868.com/868/index.php/vo...an-aid-scandal
Trinidad and Tobago Works Minister and ex-FIFA Vice President Jack Warner is a central figure in a fresh financial scandal after an exclusive report by the UK Sunday Times revealed that close to $4.4 million (US$690,000) donated by FIFA and South Korea never made it to the Federation of Haitian Football (FHF).
Warner, in his capacity as CONCACAF and Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president, collected $4.76 million (US$750,000) on behalf of Haiti after the Caribbean island was stunned by a massive earthquake on 12 January 2010.
The Haitian government estimated that 316,000 persons were killed including over 30 football officials as the FHF building was reduced to rubble.
However, FHF Yves Jean-Bart told Sunday Times reporters, James Corbett, Jonathan Calvert and Heidi Blake that only $381,000 (US$60,000) made it to grief-stricken nation from the aid money allegedly given to Warner.
"Warner always told me your money is there, is available, any time," Jean-Bart told the Times, "but I didn't get it."
Wired868 attempted to contact Warner by phone but the Chaguanas West MP has not yet responded to enquiries.
Warner mentioned the FIFA aid of roughly $1.6 million (US$250,000) when he toured Port-au-Prince in January 2010 and insisted that sport will play its part in helping the restoration of one of the world's poorest nations.
Wealthy South Korean businessman and politician, Chung Mong-Joon, who is also a former FIFA vice president, donated $3.2 million (US$500,000) to Haiti's relief fund. South Korea was bidding to host the 2022 World Cup at the time.
"It is a humanitarian crisis," said Warner. "Sport is a vehicle for social transformation... Let us share this hope with Haiti so she can rise again.
"FIFA understands its role in inspiring a nation... Let us use sport to ignite hope."
Warner further promised to coordinate aid efforts for Haiti.
"My friends have told me that they are hungry and in need of basic human supplies," said Warner. "A tide of hungry humanity surrounds me. How can I not hear their cries for help?
"When I return home I will personally embark on a food drive to get you these supplies."
Haiti felt that Warner's actions fell well short of his noble words and complained to FIFA. The Times revealed that the global body's subsequent probe failed to find the money allegedly given to Warner.
"Fifa wired, immediately after the devastating earthquake, $250,000 as an emergency aid for Haiti to the account of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF)," stated the FIFA Media Office. "This was on request of the then Concacaf president Jack Warner."
Once more, the TTFF looks set to be penalized for its former special advisor's machinations.
FIFA claimed to be dissatisfied with the TTFF's response to their enquiries—made late last year—and has stopped funding the local football body.
"As Fifa has not received any satisfactory response," stated the global body, "Fifa has stopped, with immediate effect, any payments to the TTFF until it will receive proper accounts of these funds."
FIFA provides each member association with an annual subvention of $1.6 million (US$250,000). It is unclear why FIFA chose to send aid money through the TTFF and not via a CONCACAF or CFU account.
The FIFA Media Office has not yet responded to Wired868's queries on the subject.
The Times claimed sources close to the Korean Football Association provided payment details that showed the money initially went to a CONCACAF bank account in Trinidad.
It is unclear whether South Korea or CONCACAF will attempt to locate and recover its money.
If FIFA has indeed cut funding to the TTFF, it would be another blow to the local body that is fighting half of the 2006 World Cup team in High Court and losing.
The "Soca Warriors" seized all of the TTFF's removal assets last Wednesday in an effort to service a $4.6 million debt that the organisation failed to satisfy in October 2011. Thirteen 2006 World Cup players, the TTFF and its former President Oliver Camps return to court on Tuesday.
Warner's disinclination to provide financial accountability will again be a talking point as the ex-FIFA vice president failed to follow Justice Devindra Rampersad's instructions to provide, by 10 February 2012, written accounts of all income, donations, gifts, grants, benefits and expenditure related to the 2006 World Cup.
The Works Minister, who quit FIFA last June while a subject of bribery allegations, was also subjected to a recent audit by the Finance Ministry over his handling of the Program for Upgrading Road Efficiency (PURE) although the results have not yet been made public.
In the case of the allegedly misplaced Haitian funds, it seems that the TTFF will absorb the brunt of FIFA's punishment.
Written by Lasana Liburd
... FIFA allegedly stops TTFF funds
On 12 February 2012
http://wired868.com/868/index.php/vo...an-aid-scandal
Trinidad and Tobago Works Minister and ex-FIFA Vice President Jack Warner is a central figure in a fresh financial scandal after an exclusive report by the UK Sunday Times revealed that close to $4.4 million (US$690,000) donated by FIFA and South Korea never made it to the Federation of Haitian Football (FHF).
Warner, in his capacity as CONCACAF and Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president, collected $4.76 million (US$750,000) on behalf of Haiti after the Caribbean island was stunned by a massive earthquake on 12 January 2010.
The Haitian government estimated that 316,000 persons were killed including over 30 football officials as the FHF building was reduced to rubble.
However, FHF Yves Jean-Bart told Sunday Times reporters, James Corbett, Jonathan Calvert and Heidi Blake that only $381,000 (US$60,000) made it to grief-stricken nation from the aid money allegedly given to Warner.
"Warner always told me your money is there, is available, any time," Jean-Bart told the Times, "but I didn't get it."
Wired868 attempted to contact Warner by phone but the Chaguanas West MP has not yet responded to enquiries.
Warner mentioned the FIFA aid of roughly $1.6 million (US$250,000) when he toured Port-au-Prince in January 2010 and insisted that sport will play its part in helping the restoration of one of the world's poorest nations.
Wealthy South Korean businessman and politician, Chung Mong-Joon, who is also a former FIFA vice president, donated $3.2 million (US$500,000) to Haiti's relief fund. South Korea was bidding to host the 2022 World Cup at the time.
"It is a humanitarian crisis," said Warner. "Sport is a vehicle for social transformation... Let us share this hope with Haiti so she can rise again.
"FIFA understands its role in inspiring a nation... Let us use sport to ignite hope."
Warner further promised to coordinate aid efforts for Haiti.
"My friends have told me that they are hungry and in need of basic human supplies," said Warner. "A tide of hungry humanity surrounds me. How can I not hear their cries for help?
"When I return home I will personally embark on a food drive to get you these supplies."
Haiti felt that Warner's actions fell well short of his noble words and complained to FIFA. The Times revealed that the global body's subsequent probe failed to find the money allegedly given to Warner.
"Fifa wired, immediately after the devastating earthquake, $250,000 as an emergency aid for Haiti to the account of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF)," stated the FIFA Media Office. "This was on request of the then Concacaf president Jack Warner."
Once more, the TTFF looks set to be penalized for its former special advisor's machinations.
FIFA claimed to be dissatisfied with the TTFF's response to their enquiries—made late last year—and has stopped funding the local football body.
"As Fifa has not received any satisfactory response," stated the global body, "Fifa has stopped, with immediate effect, any payments to the TTFF until it will receive proper accounts of these funds."
FIFA provides each member association with an annual subvention of $1.6 million (US$250,000). It is unclear why FIFA chose to send aid money through the TTFF and not via a CONCACAF or CFU account.
The FIFA Media Office has not yet responded to Wired868's queries on the subject.
The Times claimed sources close to the Korean Football Association provided payment details that showed the money initially went to a CONCACAF bank account in Trinidad.
It is unclear whether South Korea or CONCACAF will attempt to locate and recover its money.
If FIFA has indeed cut funding to the TTFF, it would be another blow to the local body that is fighting half of the 2006 World Cup team in High Court and losing.
The "Soca Warriors" seized all of the TTFF's removal assets last Wednesday in an effort to service a $4.6 million debt that the organisation failed to satisfy in October 2011. Thirteen 2006 World Cup players, the TTFF and its former President Oliver Camps return to court on Tuesday.
Warner's disinclination to provide financial accountability will again be a talking point as the ex-FIFA vice president failed to follow Justice Devindra Rampersad's instructions to provide, by 10 February 2012, written accounts of all income, donations, gifts, grants, benefits and expenditure related to the 2006 World Cup.
The Works Minister, who quit FIFA last June while a subject of bribery allegations, was also subjected to a recent audit by the Finance Ministry over his handling of the Program for Upgrading Road Efficiency (PURE) although the results have not yet been made public.
In the case of the allegedly misplaced Haitian funds, it seems that the TTFF will absorb the brunt of FIFA's punishment.
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