PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - “Don’t cry for Jack Warner, you haven’t seen Jack Warner yet.” That was the message to supporters yesterday from Jack Warner who has resigned as national security minister and chairman of the United National Congress (UNC). Warner met executive members of his Chaguanas West constituency office yesterday to explain why he believed the time had come to tender his resignation.
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PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - The Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce said yesterday it was “pleased” with the resignation of Jack Warner as National Security Minister as it was long overdue. The organisation, however, lamented a continued lack of transparency in the Government. The Chamber said while the adage of “innocent until proven guilty” should apply to each individual, the serious allegations raised against Warner warranted that his decision on Sunday to resign should have been one of his first actions.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - After Friday’s revelations at Fifa, enumerated in a damning report prepared by Sir David Simmons and released to the public, it was just a matter of time before the People’s Partnership Government and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar would have had to make a decision about Jack Warner. The report, which listed many troubling findings about Mr Warner’s role in Concacaf during his time as its president, demands a full response from the former football boss.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar said she accepted the resignation of her embattled national security minister Austin “Jack” Warner because he had become a major distraction to the work of her coalition People’s Partnership government.
“Mr Warner’s resignation from the Cabinet comes with a degree of regret as he was a highly industrious and productive member of the government, having served with distinction in the Ministries of Works and National Security,” she said.
KINGSTON, Jamaica - For decades, wherever he has stood, especially with regard to football, Austin 'Jack' Warner left a stench - of the type most people associate with corruption. That, of course, has never been proven where such things are determined - in courts of law. What was unique about Mr Warner, though, is that those closest to him seemed to lack the olfactory capacity for his range of scents. That deficiency, Mr Warner seemed to assume, was universal, particularly in Trinidad and Tobago, his home. Accusations against him were to be denied and toughed out. Life would go on.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Antigua & Barbuda is in line to benefit from a US $42 million fund to protect marine and coastal habitats.
It comes under a project called “the Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI)” – led by the Nature Conservancy (TNC) – which seeks to have 20 per cent of near shore areas in Caribbean islands set aside as marine protected sites by the year 2020.
Countries are first required to create National Conservation Trust Funds and show how they will sustainably finance them. The funds will be used strictly to create and manage marine protected areas.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC-Leader of the Opposition Stephenson King has written to Prime Minister Kenny Anthony, concerning the long-standing issue of Value Added Tax (VAT) on medication.
In a letter, King brought to the attention of the prime minister the number of citizens who complain about their inability to purchase medication in a timely manner due to the additional burden brought on by the tax.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Antigua & Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU), bargaining agents for the 117 Caribbean Airlines Services (CAS) workers will be meeting with management today following a sick-out by workers yesterday.
ABWU General Secretary David Massiah told OBSERVER media CAS management and employees have long been at an impasse over negotiations for a new collective agreement.
“We were not satisfied with the positions that were put forward by the company and we have responded, and they have responded likewise. So it has been a counter and back-and-forth,” he said.
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua - The financial woes of LIAT and Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) featured in the news this past week.
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace says a lack of confidence in the finances of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines government is responsible for the EC$40 million (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) 10-year bond issued last month being significantly undersubscribed.
Eustace said over the years, he has been complaining about the declining finances in the country.