(Trinidad Express) Legal action will be taken against Sir David Simmons, who chaired Concacaf’s ethics committee which reported that former government minister Jack Warner was fraudulent in his management of Concacaf and the ownership of the Centre of Excellence.
Simmons, a Barbados former chief justice, retired United States District Court Judge Ricardo Urbina and ex-Pricewaterhouse Coopers partner and auditor Ernesto Hempe released the report in April this year leading Warner to resign as National Security Minister, UNC chairman and Chaguanas West MP.
The report led Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to accept Warner’s resignations.
Warner, speaking at a news conference at the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Chaguanas headquarters yesterday, said a legal challenge will be mounted against Simmons and in due course the public will know more about this.
Warner had sought the advice of three lawyers — Justice Zainool Hosein, Andrew Mitchell QC and Bertram E Commissiong QC — who found the report was flawed.
Yesterday, Warner said he received an agreement from Concacaf, in which he has permission to take legal action against Simmons.
Warner refused to divulge further information on the matter when pressed by the media, saying only that in time this agreement will also be made public.
“Everything is timing, that is why I am here today as the member of Parliament for Chaguanas West,” he said.
“In this country the higher one is in office is the least likely he or she will ever resign on a principle. I did, others have not,” he added.
He said the entire UNC cabal should resign for giving bad advice to the Prime Minister.
ILP interim chairman Robin Montano said there have been allegations against Warner for 12 years now and to date FIFA has never brought any criminal or civil action against him.
ILP deputy political leader Anna Deonarine, who is also an attorney, said the allegations were unsubstantiated, baseless and that FIFA itself was biased against Warner.
She said allegations are made against everyone and if the media were to look at allegations levelled against the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and other politicians then there would be no Parliament.
“How she feels is how 12,642 feel,” said Warner, referring to the number of people who secured his victory at the Chaguanas West by-election polls on Monday.
Warner said further that he no longer wanted a diplomatic passport from this Government.
“I don’t want a diplomatic passport ever again from this Government if they in power. When they demit office which may be very shortly it’s different but for the time being I don’t want any from them,” he said.
