(Trinidad Express) Jack Warner former special adviser of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF), has declared that he offered a TT$15 million settlement to 13 former T&T World Cup footballers to have a dispute over World Cup revenues settled, but the offer was rejected.
Furthermore, the current Minister of Works and Infrastructure said he will no longer compromise with the players, following their decision to levy on the assets of the TTFF on Wednesday.
The players are in a legal dispute with the TTFF over 2006 World Cup revenues, which they estimate were as much as US$40 million. They have argued that Warner promised them a half share of all revenues and later sued the Federation in the Trinidad & Tobago High Court.
The TTFF argues that as Local Organising Committee (LOC) chairman, Warner was the sole person in charge of collecting World Cup revenues.
In an 11-page ruling last month, High Court Justice Devindra Rampersad gave Warner up to the end of yesterday to present all relevant documents regarding all the finances concerning the country’s participation in the 2006 World Cup.
Yesterday, Warner in an interview with I95.5 radio, insisted that proper accounts had previously been submitted to the courts, although he acknowledged that some paperwork might have been missing. Warner also maintained that he will not deal directly with the players.
“Right now, from where I stand there is no compromise,” Warner declared. “I have drawn a line in the sand. What they have done to this country I will not forgive them and I hope this country does not forgive them.”
Warner further cleared the TTFF and its former president Oliver Camps of any promise to pay the World Cup players a bonus. Warner admitted it was a personal gesture made on his part after a 10-man T&T team drew 0-0 with Sweden in their first-ever World Cup match.
“In euphoria, of course, I said guys I will ensure that you get thirty per cent of the net profits,” Warner declared. “Up to this day I did not say that I did not say that. I have no written agreement with the players. There is no legal document of any kind anywhere.”
“I had no instruction or advice or corroboration from the Federation. I went to the players out of euphoria. I have no legal documents… no papers signed, therefore to go after Camps and the Federation to me is a mystery,” Warner declared.
Warner said when the dispute over World Cup money began, he offered players US$50,000 each and 14 of them took the money. The other 13 players rejected the offer leading to the ongoing legal battle. Warner announced that he went to a local commercial bank and borrowed $7.5 million on his own name for a first interim payment following a May, 2011 High Court judgement from Justice Devindra Rampersad.
However, Warner said that when a second interim payment of $4.2 million was ordered on October 11, 2011 he informed the TTFF that he was not prepared to continue borrowing money from the bank, until a final figure to settle the matter was made. Warner also said at some point he also instructed his lawyer Om Lalla to settle the matter.
“I told the Federation whatever happens, I will be responsible,” Warner said. “I said to my lawyer, go to the guys and give them $15 million and give it to them and let us settle the deal. They wanted $25 million. I said that and God face they will never see.”
