Judge orders ex-special adviser to bring the books
Former Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) special adviser Jack Warner has less than a month to submit financial records concerning T&T's World Cup 2006 campaign to the High Court.
In a judgement handed down by High Court judge Justice Devindra Rampersad on Thursday concerning the legal action taken by members of T&T's 2006 World Cup squad. against the TTFF, Warner was given a February 10 deadline to provide all documents associated with Local Organising Committee (LOC) 2006 accounts.
The judgement instructed the TTFF to direct Warner, in writing, to file documents relating to all income received by Warner on the Federation's behalf relating to the 2006 World Cup, including "donations, gifts, grants or benefits" and all related expenditure.
The judgement was made on the basis that Warner, as special adviser, acting as an agent to the TTFF, was responsible for all accounts associated with T&T's 2006 World Cup campaign.
Rampersad, however, dismissed the players' application to add Warner as a third defendant in the case, as the players never made claims against Warner himself, only against the TTFF.
But the judge chastised the TTFF for its apparent lack of interest in pursuing Warner to produce the accounts requested by the Courts for over two years. He described the TTFF's approach to providing the required information as "nonchalant and lackadaisical".
With concern over the statute of limitations on the matter, Rampersad is seeking to bring closure to a case that is in its sixth year.
The judgement also raised a question of a conflict of interest in the matter, as both Warner and the TTFF were represented by the same legal team.
The players have already been awarded interim sums totalling more than $11 million by Rampersad while they await the accounts to decide how much money the footballers are due. This includes initial payment, as well as legal and other costs.
Originally 16 players—now reduced to 13—sued the TTFF to recover bonuses promised to them by Warner after T&T qualified for the tournament. This number included former goalkeepers Shaka Hislop and Kelvin Jack and ex-defender Brent Sancho.
The London-based Sport Dispute Resolution Panel (SDRP, now Sport Resolutions UK) ruled in favour of the players, and the matter subsequently reached the High Court after the TTFF argued that the players had breached its gag order.
That argument was subsequently dismissed, and the TTFF were ordered to produce their accounts to the Courts, which would determine how much the players are entitled to.
The Courts were dissatisfied with the accounts presented to them, and asked the TTFF to account for the World Cup funds, and TTFF president Oliver Camps subsequently told the Court that as special adviser to the TTFF, Warner was responsible for all World Cup-related money.
By Kern De Freitas
Source: www.trinidadexpress.com