Suspended vice-president of world football governing body FIFA, Jack Warner, says he is disappointed with Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar who said he (Warner) should step down as minister until the FIFA probe was completed. "My disappointment really is with Prakash Ramadhar because as a lawyer, he and I have been good friends until now," he said. "Ramadhar should toe the line, especially after the Prime Minister had publicly stated her support for me in the matter," Warner also said shortly after his arrival from Zurich.
Speaking at a scheduled news briefing at the Diplomatic Lounge at the Piarco International Airport around 11 pm Warner said he was "heartened by Anil's stand, but I am totally disappointed by Prakash Ramadhar." He was met at the airport by government ministers, officials of his Ministry of Works and Transport and supporters from his Chaguanas West constituency. The supporters came with bells, tassa drums and other musical instruments in an impressive show of support for him. Warner was suspended, pending full investigation in the bribery allegations.
Ramadhar is contesting the upcoming Congress of the People internal elections for the post of political leader. He is being challenged by Sport and Youth Affairs Minister Anil Roberts, who expressed support for Warner. "Therefore, if you can't toe the line as a member of Cabinet, how can you be a political leader, and this for me is worrisome," Warner said. He said, too, that he was banking on a private and confidential e-mail to clear his name from allegations of bribery. "The e-mail which I sent to Mr Blatter after the meeting in Port-of-Spain is crystal clear...It tells you what happened at the meeting," he said.
"That e-mail will put all (allegations of wrongdoing) to rest."
Responding to his decision to advise CONCACAF delegates to support Blatter's candidacy hours after he said the incumbent should be stopped, Warner said that was no about-face. He said his advice to the delegates was simply to support Blatter the lone candidate instead of protesting by walking out of the congress. Warner said the ongoing controversy in FIFA was intended to destroy football in the Caribbean. He said he would not allow anyone to destroy what he had tried to build in the region over the past 21 years of his life. "This is not a matter against Jack Warner, this is a matter against the Caribbean," Warner said,
"What they have done is to accuse the entire Caribbean of being dishonest.
"What they have done is to say that the entire Caribbean is capable of being bribed.
"What they have done is affected football integration in the Caribbean.
"So don't look at Jack Warner alone, this is bigger than Jack Warner." Warner said he would "give everything I have to uphold the Caribbean. "The Caribbean has 30 out of 39 members of Concacaf, and I spend 20 years building that, and nobody, nobody will come overnight and try to disintegrate the Caribbean...nobody," he said.