Daly call's AG's move "wise"; Ryan wants Jack to choose

Martin Daly thinks Attorney General Anand Ramlogan made the correct decision in referring the matter of Jack Warner’s dual role as cabinet minister and FIFA executive member to an independent team of constitutional experts.

The President of the Law Association called the decision "wise". Daly noted that FIFA is not a company but an an international governing body of football with responsibility for the organisation and governance of some of football’s major international tournaments, most notably the FIFA World Cup.

Daly told the Trinidad Express neither of the 1987 and 1988 versions of the Code of Ethics contains any requirement for the divestment of any private interest.

He said based on that he considers the statements made by the Integrity Commission as "legally unsound" if they are based it on those codes.

Daly applauded the decision of AG Anand Ramlogan to seek clarification from Warner about his functions as FIFA Vice President "because it would be good to know" what exactly was Warner’s job description and remuneration at FIFA before asking him to make any decision on the matter.

However, respected political scientist Dr Selwyn Ryan would prefer if Warner chooses between his posts as Works and Transport Minister and FIFA vice president.

Ryan said, "I personally would like to see Jack in both. But I think we have to make a decision based on the principle of the thing...I think people who commit themselves to working on behalf of the people, on behalf of the State, in certain arenas ought to do it full time."

But newspaper columnist Peter O’Connor said Warner is an asset to both international football and the country.

And he called Rowley's move "an excellent tactic of distraction" to shift the national focus off the church at the Heights of Guanapo and other issues.

He suggested that the country should expand its thinking on the issue, noting that there is no reason why Warner cannot hold both posts.

O'Connor said Warner's interest in FIFA has nothing to do with this country.

"I tell you this, the whole Caribbean area will recoil in horror if Jack decides to give up FIFA. We will never have a person as powerful in any world organisation as we have in Jack Warner," he said.

O’Connor said with or without FIFA, Warner will be a far better Minister of Works and Transport than any previous, particularly the last, Colm Imbert.