Jack pledges to go after "Mr. Bigs"

Jack Warner: ""The drug trade is not some little boys with five ounce of coke in the street you know..."

Jack Warner promised Parliament Friday that he would go after the "Mr Bigs" of this country who are in high places and get protection from politicians.

The Minister of National Security made the statement in his contribution to the debate on the Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago and Anti Terrorism Bill 2012 at the Parliament.

Former Prime Minister Patrick Manning first used the term "Mr. Big" six years ago when he claimed that "Mr Big" was responsible for the crime wave in the country. He also claimed that he knew "Mr Big".

Warner said there are "astute businessmen" who launder money and fund drugs, guns and prostitution in the country.

"Money laundering is as pervasive as you can imagine and there are people in high places in this country, who you least suspect, who politicians front for and go and defend and say move Jack Warner, Jack Warner has to go. It's coming and when they are flushed out a lot of things will be exposed and time will tell," said Warner.

He said these criminals know how to hide their activities by putting their businesses in their wife's name and building apartments all over the country — including Richplain, Diego Martin.

Warner said that the "Mr Bigs" are the ones behind the drugs in the country. "The drug trade is not some little boys with five ounce of coke in the street you know," he declared. "The drug trade have some big big guys who are backed and supported not on this side by us. I won't say by who," said Warner.

"We are going after them and who vex, vex," he said. "They are spoiling our young people, our children are in danger...we have to find the Mr Bigs of this country and put them where they belong," Warner said.

He added that he has no doubt that there is an underground arms importation and trade networks in the country. "I also have no doubt that in this country there are people who are involved in human trafficking and exploitation of women from Latin America in particular," said Warner.

He said he wants to stop "dirty money" from being invested in the criminal economy because it comes back into the system and allows money launderers to fuel and fund crime.

Warner cited a United Nations report on drugs which stated that criminal proceeds as of 2009 amounted to US$2.1 trillion. He said it is estimated that US$6 billion of this is directed to the Caribbean.

Warner also said when officials of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) come to this country on August 27 and 28, Government members would be safe. "Let the FATF come, because I tell you something, when the FATF comes, nobody on this side has any cause to run, nobody on this side has any cause to hide," he said.

"Neither on this side!" PNM member Marlene McDonald interjected.