PM Kamla keeping Jack in T&T cabinet

Jack Warner is keeping his job as Works and Transporting Minister in the Trinidad and Tobago government and will continue to serve as Vice President of FIFA.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar told reporters Thursday based on advice from four prominent attorneys she has concluded that Warner didn't break any law by holding executive authority in another body outside of Cabinet.

"In law, there is obviously nothing wrong with it. In terms of the ethics, if it has to do with work ethic and if it is that, Mr Warner is capable of performing his functions as Minister of Works and those are not impaired in terms of work.

"I see no reason why Mr Warner should be called upon to choose or whether myself in my capacity as Prime Minister should ask him to step down as Minister or Works,” she told reporters. "So he will remain our Minister of Works."

The Prime Minister's strong endorsement came after Attorney General Anand Ramlogan informed reporters that he had received the legal opinions of four prominent people, including former Trinidad and Tobago president, Sir Ellis Clarke and British Queen’s Counsel Michael Beloff who said there is nothing illegal and that there does not appear to be any clear conflict of interest.

"Having received these opinions, I have advised the Honourable Prime Minister in writing, that Minister Warner can remain a member of the Cabinet and he can simultaneously retain his position as vice president of FIFA," Ramlogan said.

He added that should any potential for conflict of interest be detected by him, the Prime Minister or any other Cabinet minister, Warner "should voluntarily recuse himself and if not, he would be asked so to do."

“It is a matter for her discretion and personal judgment if Mr Warner’s duties as FIFA vice president significantly adversely affect his ability to perform his duties as Minister of Works and to take such appropriate action as she sees fit in her own judgement and discretion,” he said.

He added that the position of the lawyers has been sent to the Integrity Commission.

“The Prime Minister retains a general discretion over all Cabinet Ministers that should they embark upon anything that could impair or significantly affect their performance as ministers that she could ask them to pull up on their bootstraps, ask them to perform better, point out their shortcomings or she could simply get rid of them from Cabinet. This is not specific to Minister Warner.”

Warner has always said he would resign if there were ever any question of his ethics or his performance.

Sir Ellis, the country's first head of state and a principal author of the constitution said "it is difficult to see how a conflict of interest is likely to arise as a result of a Cabinet minister being a vice president of FIFA."

He added, "The practical question is raised. Can a person give adequate attention to the duties of a Cabinet Minister if one is also a vice president of FIFA?. Obviously this is not for the Integrity Commission to determine.

"Basically, it is for the Prime Minister to determine whether or not the minister is giving full and satisfactory attention to the discharge of the responsibilities of the ministry.

“Here lies the answer to the original question which the Integrity Commission faced,” he added.

Beloff said there is nothing "in the law of the republic or the ethics code to require Mr Warner to resign from his unpaid part-time role with FIFA, with whom he has been involved since 1983, consequent upon his appointment to the Cabinet.

"It is, I would add, obvious that the occupation of Mr Warner of high office in the international body is calculated to bring prestige to the republic rather than to damage its interests,” he added.

Opposition Leader Dr. Keith Rowley, who is the person who objected to Warner's dual role, told reporters his objection was not on a basis of law.

"I raised this matter in the context of the Code of Ethics that was passed by the Parliament because the Parliament, the Government and the country were uncomfortable about what this very type of situation," he said.

Rowley said it was a matter of ethics based on the opinions of other Parliamentarians and of the public at large.