Political Career
In October 2007 Warner was elected United National Congress Alliance chairman and co-leader, to lead the party into Trinidad and Tobago's 2007 General Election. They won 15 of 41 seats and Warner was elected as the Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West. Patrick Manning's PNM government, which had comfortably won the 2007 election, called an election less than three years into its mandate. Warner's UNC party formed a coalition with four other parties and won 24 May 2010 elections by a landslide margin of 29 of 41 seats in parliament. Warner was re-elected in Chaguanas West with the highest national vote total. Warner has described the previous Trinidadian administration as the "most corrupt ever", and has pledged to enforce hanging as a method of execution. Warner has said, "It is inconceivable to have 295 on death row awaiting the hangman...when no one is trying to apply the law".
After the 2010 election, Warner was appointed the Works and Transport Minister in Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's government. Opposition leader Keith Rowley wrote to the Integrity Commission questioning Warner's ability to be a FIFA Vice President, while also the Trinidad and Tobago Works and Transport Minister. Government counsel concluded that Warner was not breaking any laws, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan also pointed out that Warner does not receive a salary from FIFA, Trinidad benefits from Warner's appointment and his two positions were unlikely to conflict.
Although Warner was allowed to withdraw from football related activities by FIFA with a presumption of innocence in the of the CFU scandal of 2011, a videotape played during FIFA's disciplinary process was consequently made public. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar referred the videotape to the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago without endorsing or condemning Warner.
Read more about this topic: Jack Warner (football Executive)
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