PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Police Commissioner Wayne Gibbs has been given a five-day ultimatum to begin investigations into allegations of bribery against suspended FIFA vice president, Austin Jack Warner, who is also a senior member of the Trinidad and Tobago government.
Gibbs had earlier this week said that law enforcement authorities here would not investigate the allegations made against Warner, who is the Minister of Works and Transport, and former FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam.
Both men were suspended by the international football organization after they were accused of offering US$40 000 to national associations of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) at a meeting in Trinidad on May 10 and 11, in return for their votes in the FIFA presidential election on June 1.
Both men have denied the allegations and Warner has dismissed calls for him to step down from his ministerial post pending the outcome of the investigations by FIFA’s Ethics Committee.
He has also received the backing of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar, who said he remains innocent until proven guilty.
But Opposition Leader Dr. Keith Rowley said that the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) is giving Gibbs, a Canadian national, five days to reverse his “untenable” position.
“Persons have admitted to making money available and making payments in Trinidad and Tobago to Caribbean Football Union officials,” Rowley said, adding “we have information that suggests we should enter into some sort of criminal investigation. There are a lot of allegations coming through the media”.
Rowley said that Gibbs had adopted an “irresponsible position which was tantamount to a dereliction of duty”.
He said should the Police Commissioner, who is on a contract, fails to begin the probe, a formal complaint would be made to the Police Service Commission (PSC).
“I’m giving him five days to reverse his position or we will report him to the PSC. The CoP has to report to somebody. If the executive is not prepared to protect the State, the Opposition is not without options,” Rowley noted. (CMC)
