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Eagles veteran Brian Dawkins and Philadelphia 76ers icon Dikembe Mutombo have joined dignitaries from the Pennsylvanian city to welcome the announcement that it will be hosting the 2013 edition of the Beyond Sport Summit and Awards.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Philadelphia Eagles President Don Smolenski, Eagles Youth Partnership President Christina Weiss Lurie and Beyond Sport founder Nick Keller joined the American footballer and basketball player to welcome the news that the city will be following in the footsteps of London and Cape Town to host the largest global sport gathering on September 9 until 11.

"Sports bring people together, and bringing people together is what the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection is all about," said Nutter.

"The reason Philadelphia and its professional sports franchises worked so hard to bring Beyond Sport here is our belief that athletics has a tremendously positive influence on communities, and we want to play a role in that.

"Philadelphia is honoured to be among some of the most vibrant cities in the world by playing host to this prestigious event."

The 2012 Beyond Sport Summit was held in London, just days before last summer's Olympic Games and saw sporting luminaries, such as Muhammad Ali, David Beckham, Michelle Kwan and Michael Johnson join teams, leagues and development projects from around the world to explore the positive impact sport can have on society.

Beyond Sport's Ambassadors include some of the biggest names in global sport, chaired by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and under the Patronage of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and it is backed by each of the major leagues – the National Hockey League (NHL), National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), NASCAR and Major League Soccer (MLS).

The Eagles, global Beyond Sport Award winners in 2011, have played a significant role in bringing the event to the city and Smolenski explained: "Winning a Beyond Sport Award was an incredible moment for the Eagles and we are thrilled to be bringing this event to Philadelphia.

"The Eagles as a team sit at the heart of the Philadelphia community and we are very proud of our work in the community. We look forward to showing it off on a global stage."

Beyond Sport Founder Nick Keller added: "We are incredibly excited to be bringing the Beyond Sport Summit and Awards to Philadelphia.

"This city places sport at the centre of its identity and has long experience of using sport to enrich the community."

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SECRETARY General of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) Brian Lewis has called for integrity in local sports if there is to be the kind of growth expected by all.

In a release yesterday Lewis, who will contest the post of president at the TTOC election next month said, “Integrity in and within Trinidad and Tobago sport is a priority and must be placed at the top of the agenda. Good Governance, transparency, accountability, ethics and the core values of sport must be the foundation stone for the development and growth of local sport.”

He said it is the duty, obligation and responsibility of all dedicated, committed and passionate sport leaders and sport administrators to do what’s best for sport. He added, “The youth, children and athletes who participate in sport, place their trust in the leaders to look after their best interests.”

National Sport Organisations (NSOs) have a duty to protect the autonomy, integrity and independence of Sport. He told Newsday, “If TT is to earn respect and have a positive international stature in Sport. Not only is a zero tolerance anti doping in sport culture important but a similar zero tolerance anti corruption in sport culture.”

According to Lewis “Whether we are for or against and feel it is unfair or not, the truth remains that the international and local image of TT sport is negatively impacted by the recent Concacaf , Sir David Simmons, report.”

“However, in every crisis there is opportunity. All of TT Sport can learn from the football experience. It makes no constructive sense to hide our heads in the sand.”

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Trinidad and Tobago will have the opportunity to see national hero Keshorn Walcott in action, in his first meet since shocking the world with Olympic gold in London, England, last August.

Walcott heads the cast for the TnT Elite Twilight Games, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, next Friday, May 3.

Back home from a training stint in Cuba, Walcott will square off against Grenadian Kurt Felix in the men’s javelin.

The meet is being staged by TnT Elite Sports, the management group that handles the affairs of Walcott, sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye, hurdler Mikel Thomas and jumper Kyron Blaise.

Sean Roach, founder and CEO of TnT Elite Sports, said the Twilight Games is the perfect platform for Walcott to launch his 2013 campaign.

“Keshorn has not had a throw since the Olympics, and there’s no javelin event in this part of the world in the Diamond League. I wanted his first throw in Trinidad, so people will get to see their gold medallist before he goes on the world stage. Also, we want to introduce the rest of the TnT Elites athletes.”

Thomas will be on show in the Twilight Games men’s 110 metres hurdles. He will do battle with Americans Jarret Eaton and Christopher Thomas, as well as South Africa’s Lehann Fourie, the 2012 African sprint hurdles champion.

Fourie, who boasts a personal best of 13.24 seconds, was a finalist at the 2012 Olympic Games, finishing seventh in the championship race.

Thomas, though, has been in fine form in 2013, and would fancy his chances of striking gold at the Twilight Games. Last weekend, the Trinidad and Tobago hurdler clocked a personal best 13.39 seconds at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, in Florida, USA.

Thomas is fifth on the 2013 world outdoor performance list.

Blaise will compete in the men’s long jump at the Twilight Games, while Ahye is listed for the women’s 100m dash.

Ayhe, who clocked 11.07 seconds at the President’s Classic earlier this month, will go head-to-head with American sprinter Muna Lee.

Lee has a personal best of 10.89 seconds, and was part of the United States team that earned women’s 4x100m gold at the 2005 World Championships, in Helsinki, Finland. She is also a three-time Olympic finalist.

Also making the trip to T&T for the Twilight Games will be American Marcus Boyd and Jamaican Stacey-Ann Smith. Boyd will compete in the men’s 400m, while Smith faces the starter in the women’s one-lap event.

Joining Walcott, Thomas, Blaise and Ahye on the local cast will be 2003 World Championship men’s 100m silver medallist Darrel Brown, 2013 Carifta Games boys’ under-20 400m champion Machel Cedenio, Cleopatra Borel, Quincy Wilson, Hezekiel Romeo, Moriba Morain and Jereem Richards.

Next Friday’s TnT Elite Twilight Games will start at 4.30 p.m.. The programme will also feature entertainment by Kees Dieffenthaller, Blaxx, Olatunji and Cassi.

Admission to the covered stands at the Hasely Crawford Stadium is $25 for adults and free for children under 12. Admission to the uncovered stands is free.

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Daneil Williams and Simon Blake improved again when the NORCECA (North, Central America and the Caribbean) Beach Volleyball Tour continued last weekend in Guatemala.

After finishing 11th in the opening leg in the Cayman Islands and then seventh at the second stage in the Dominican Republic during the final two weekends of last month, the Trinidad and Tobago players ended up fifth of the 20 competing pairs.

After winning their three matches in the round robin phase of the tournament to finish at the top of Group E, Blake and Williams were forced to settle for the highest place outside the top four when they were beaten 21-16, 21-18 Saturday by eventual runners-up Karell Pina and Sergio Gonzalez of Cuba.

Earlier in the day, the “Toco Boys” had whipped Luis Castillo and Alex Medina of the Dominican Republic 21-11, 21-14 to end the group phase of the tournament unbeaten.

The day before, Williams and Blake had battled back strongly after losing the first set in their opening match to defeat Luis Torres and Mario Ramirez of Guatemala 16-21, 21-11, 15-3, and they later cruised past Hondurans Jesus Quantanilla and Manuel Serrano 21-17, 21-12.

It was the joint-best showing by Blake at this level as he had also placed fifth—with Colin Bernard—in the St Lucia leg of last year’s circuit, in the middle of October.

Williams and then partner, Fabian Whitfield finished fourth in that tournament, and two weeks later they picked up this country’s first-ever NORCECA medal when they notched bronze at home in Toco.

T&T were represented by three other pairs in last weekend’s three-day tournament, but Elki Philip and Apphia Glagsow were the only other players to reach the knockout phase.

After being outclassed 21-8, 21-4 by eventual bronze medallists Brittany Hockevar and Emily Day of the United States, last Friday, the first-time teammates nosed out Hondurans Gina Flores and Martha Euceda 20-22, 21-16, 18-16 the following day to finish second in Group D and earn a place in the round of 16.

However, Philip, who has two fourth-place efforts at NORCECA level, and relative newcomer Glasgow were then beaten 21-14, 21-9 by Nairobi Agramonte and Diama Peguerro of the Dominican Republic, and were forced to settle for 12th place of the 18 pairs involved.
Finishing right behind them were compatriots LaTeisha Joseph, in her third NORCECA tournament, and debutant Kinesha Marshall, who won just one set from their two matches in Group F.

After only winning one set from their three matches in Group C, Akim Bushe and Taran Deodath finished ahead of only three pairs, in 17th place. It was the first NORCECA tournament for the youngsters in their preparation for the World Under-21 Championships in Croatia in two months time.

There were two other T&T pairs in Guatemala, but the Nikesha Matthew/Rachel Noel and Tevin Joseph/Brandon Legall combinations did not compete.

Canadians Kacie Mactavish and Caleigh Whitaker defeated Jenny Kropp and Whitney Pavlik of the United States 21-17, 21-16 for their first NORCECA gold.

But it was the second title in succession for Lombardo Ontiveros and Juan Virgen as after being the champs three weeks before in the Dominican Republic, the Mexicans did it again when they edged Cubans Pina and Gonzalez 16-21, 21-16, 16-14.

After a seven-week break, the NORCECA tour will return on June 7 with the fourth stage in Mexico. The 11th and final leg will take place in Trinidad in mid-November.

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Hopefully, the proposed Chess-in-Schools programme in Trinidad will become fully operational sometime this year.

After the Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Education and a FIFA representative last October, DR assumed that the way would be expeditiously cleared for implementing the plan.

And that by now, at least, a substantial part of the necessary infrastructure would be firmly in place. The fact is, however, that very little can be done before a number of facilitating steps are taken.

Among these is the need to have the programme’s syllabus approved by the Education Ministry’s Accreditation Council. Another is for participating teachers to be certified by the University Tertiary Education Institute.

DR can only wonder at the problems being experienced here and hope they would not take much longer to be resolved.

Meanwhile, according to T&TCA president Russell Smith, the search is on for a place to establish a much needed Chess Centre which, apart from a secretariat, would provide living quarters for the International Master who will be coming to teach the game to teachers.

At this pace, it is unlikely that the programme will ever reach a comparable level to that of Jamaica which has bolted ahead, over the last few years, with an estimated 15,000 students in more than 30 schools enjoying the game under the tutelage of full time professional coaches.

Unlike the plan being undertaken in Trinidad, the Jamaican operation is largely the result of the passion, commitment and love of the game of one exceptional organiser.

Ian Wilkinson, successful defence lawyer and president of the Jamaica Chess Federation, launched his Magnificent Chess Foundation some four years ago as an instrument for using the sport to build what he sees as “a nation of thinkers.”

“Chess,” he told the Jamaica Observer in an interview, “is about thinking, planning ahead, strategising, and it’s exciting; so everybody should learn to play chess.

“We at the Magnificent Chess Foundation are building a nation of thinkers in Jamaica, and we would like to extend it to the Caribbean because we realise this is the way forward to economic development and a great way of life for the Caribbean people.

“At the end of the day, life is about thinking. If you can’t think, you cannot progress. It’s as simple as that.”

Wilkinson’s passion for chess can be seen in the virtual shrine he has created to the historic mind game covering an entire floor above his Swallowfield Avenue law office in Kingston.

As the Observer tells it, Wilkinson’s belief that chess can change lives is shared by principals of many of the schools islandwide in which he has introduced the game and where the Magnificent Chess Foundation runs active programmes.

Since its Chess-in-Schools programme was launched in fact, the Foundation has received encouraging testimonials from many principals relating the positive influence it has had on the school population as a whole and the enhanced performance of individual students who now consistently play the game.

“It has improved the overall tone of the school by contributing to a more quiet environment, conducive to study and academic pursuits,” Helen Douglas, Principal of Richmond Park Preparatory, told Wilkinson.

“It has stimulated the minds of students to concentrate and think in a logical, reasoned manner, thereby contributing to improved performance in mathematics in particular.”

The programme at Ewarton Primary has reduced the number of accidents and incidents because the children “instead of running up and down and injuring themselves by falling, were playing chess.

“This was a revelation,” Wilkinson said, “because it was the first I heard that coming from a principal”.

This quiet explosion of chess across Jamaica will eventually reap benefits for the country; Wilkinson’s Magnificent Foundation has already placed the island way ahead of the rest of the Caribbean in his effort to “build a thinking nation.”

Also, the blossoming of the game is creating “a silent industry of chess professionals”—full time chess coaches who interface with youngsters through their own chess clubs, in schools as an extra-curricular activity or as a structured subject on the school curriculum.

Already Jamaica has produced one IM in Jomo Pittersen and some 15 players above the 2000 ELO rating. With Wilkinson’s magnificent move, the country is set to bolt even further ahead in this great mind game.

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CONCACAF director of development Hugo Salcedo believes that the timing could be right for the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation to embrace change and work towards good governance for the benefit of the local game.

Salcedo was speaking at the conclusion of the 28th CONCACAF Congress at the Westin Playa Hotel in Panama on the weekend.

He spoke on various issues,  explaining that the TTFF could now work towards recovering from some of the matters that have stymied its growth for maybe a decade or more. He said it was important that all TTFF members and stakeholders work collectively towards a common vision.

“Basically the impact (findings of the CONCACAF Integrity Committee) is very strong and very sad for all of us. But we all said it here that we have to put it aside and concentrate more on the future. I think that president Jeff Webb, our general secretary Enrique Sanz and all of us are committed to the game and that’s the most important thing,” Salcedo told TTFF Media.

“We have already started the development programmes and  we are looking forward to it.. I personally have been involved for so many years, and I’m so happy that we have the opportunity to restart the new movement of this new era of CONCACAF.”

Salcedo added that he was saddened by the revelations made by the CONCACAF Integrity Committee on matters involving former CONCACAF bosses Jack Warner and Chuck Blazer.

“We hope that this will be the end. The only thing we can get out of it is for it to never happen again.”

He went on to add that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation under president Raymond Tim Kee would have the support of the Confederation in moving forward, referring to the senior team’s qualification for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the impressive showing of  the Under-17 men’s team at the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers as promising signs.

“Absolutely the support will be there for you.  Again the commitment is from all of us and not only from us in CONCACAF but if you saw today we have members of UEFA and FIFA and now this movement with Africa. There is tremendous support. We will not only like to give support to Trinidad and Tobago but also all of our 40 member associations and they will not walk alone. We are going to be working together hand in hand,” added Salcedo who has over 30 years’ experience in executive positions with FIFA, CONCACAF, US Soccer and Major League Soccer.

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Following hard on the heels of T&T’s triumph at the Pan Am Scholastic Chess tourney in Port of Spain, four local juniors went on to win medals at the Carifta Chess Championships in Jamaica last week.

Della Marie Walcott earned gold, Joshua Johnson and Javanna Smith silver and Kyron Agostini bronze as the six-member local team participated in Reggaeland’s 2013 edition of the Carifta Chess Championships.

Walcott played unbeaten with five wins and two draws to tally six points from a possible seven, while Johnson had four wins and three draws to tally 5.5 points and Smith four wins and two draws to score five points.  Agostini had five wins and two losses to finish with five points at the end.

The Carifta Chess championships in Jamaica attracted 190 players, with host country Jamaica having 85 locals in the contest, which played off from April 4 – 10.

Prior to the Carifta, the T&T squad got three gold, five silver and four bronze, as T&T finished ahead of Venezuela and Barbados in the Pan Ams, to capture the country title at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain.  T&T’s outstanding player at the Pan Ams was Sean Yearwood, who got eight points from a possible nine.

“We are seeing the benefit of our investment in the juniors,” said Russell Smith, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association.  Many of them are performing well in regional and hemispheric chess competitions, making their parents and supporters proud and giving satisfaction to the TTCA Executive, who have persisted with these children over the last few years.”

He added: “It is also a boost for our Chess in Schools programme, which is co-funded by the Ministry of Education and monitored by FIDE, the governing world chess body.  This year, the pilot project is targeting 100 primary schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago.”

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It seems that a convoluted and frustrating journey for the 13 Soca Warriors embroiled in a legal battle with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) for the better part of seven years is finally coming to an end.

Within the next two weeks the matter should be formally settled, with the Federation expected to hand over a cheque to the players. The sum of the payment has not been disclosed, and it is not known whether the payment will in fact be in full, or merely an installment.

TTFF president Raymond Tim Kee, who is currently in the US, yesterday confirmed to the Express by phone that the Federation will be issuing a payment soon to the players.

“I can’t disclose the figure, but I can tell you that both parties are comfortable,” said Tim Kee.

Asked whether he had gotten a pledge of assistance from CONCACAF at last week’s XXVIII Ordinary Congress in Panama City, Panama, Tim Kee said the Federation’s financial situation was “no different from how it was for the last two years. But we have to see what we can do at this end.”

It is also not clear how the cash-strapped TTFF will be able to afford the payment. But the TTFF head has placed great importance on settling with the players.

“The singular focus now is on the money for the 2006 players and everything else is secondary,” he said.

Brent Sancho, who has been the most vocal among the 13 players in their battle, described his conversations with Tim Kee as “quite positive”, and is hoping to bring the matter to a swift close.

“It’s general settlement, including monetary compensation. The figure is not finalised but we are seeing [attempts] to act expeditiously,” Sancho said.

“The timeline in terms of what we’re going with is in the next ten to 14 days. We’re in the advanced stages of talks and we’re hoping this can happen really quickly.”

On the topic of former TTFF special adviser Jack Warner—who was accused of financial mismanagement and corruption in the CONCACAF Integrity Committee report and who stepped down on Sunday as Minister of National Security and subsequently UNC chairman—Tim Kee said he was surprised by the turn of events.

“It was startling, and I think it was generally surprising to everyone,” he said. “That was the body language and the comments that were made…it was a big surprise to me too.”

According to Sancho, the difference between the most recent negotiations with the TTFF and previous attempts and legal action is the determination by the current president to solve the matter.

“Past discussions with members of the executive were never serious…they made it into a circus...coming up with all kinds of    things.”

Sancho added that it is incumbent upon the TTFF to try and recover the missing funds from T&T’s 2006 World Cup campaign.

Sancho described Warner’s current woes as “a sad day for Trinbagonians”, and said it would make it difficult for a Trinidad and Tobago native to be put in such a position of power in future.

“It’s a true report,” the former T&T defender stated. “It’s the result of an investigation that comes with a final announcement. This is not allegations. This is real stuff. We need to wake up and smell the coffee related to what is ours.”

He also described the outcome of years of legal battles as “bittersweet” for the players. But does Sancho think the players’ struggles were all worth it?

“I think the answer to that question is almost impossible to answer because only the future of the game in Trinidad would tell us what our sacrifices entail,” he said. “We hope to God that it [is worth it], because you talk about players’ careers (being) ended, blacklistings, being dragged on political platforms, the worse thing to happen to any player.

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Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott will open his season at the inaugural TnT Elite Twighlight Meet at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on May 3.

Walcott will be competing in his first meet since his historic gold medal performance at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, last August where he struck gold in the men’s javelin with a national record of 84.58m.

Walcott, who celebrated his 20th birthday on April 2, became T&T’s second Olympic champion and also the youngest ever winner of the javelin event at the Olympic Games. He is currently on a six-week training camp in Cuba along with national record holders Cleopatra Borel (women’s shot put), Quincy Wilson (men’s discus) and Hezekeil Romero (boy’s shot shot put).

The Olympic star’s Cuban-born coach Ishmael Lopez-Mastrapha is also in Cuba. The meet is being hosted by Walcott’s management company TnT Elite Sports. Walcott’s manager is former national high jumper Sean Roach.

Walcott is next expected to compete in the first leg of the Samsung Diamond League in Doha, Qatar on May 10 and then in the second leg in Shanghai, China, on May 18.

Walcott is expected to have a busy season as he is due to line up in four other Diamond League competitions: Exxom Mobil Bislet (Oslo-Norway June 13), Lausanne (Switzerland-July 4), Herculis (Monaco-June 19) and Belgacom Memorial Van Damme (Bussels, Belguim-September 6). He is also scheduled to throw at the National Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on June 22-23 and in Ostrava, Czech Republic on June 27. He will also be looking to compete in his first World Outdoor Championships in Moscow, Russia, from August 10-18.

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Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar last night announced she had “accepted the offer of resignation” of embattled Minister of National Security Jack Warner.

Persad-Bissessar named Emmanuel George as the new National Security Minister.

George’s Works and Infrastructure portfolio was assigned to Suruj Rambachan, in addition to his (Rambachan’s) duties as Minister of Local Government.

The Prime Minister spoke to the media at her private residence in Phillipine, San Fernando, around 8 p.m. and by that time she had not yet received Warner’s resignation.

Warner had left her residence some three hours before her announcement.

“I have accepted the offer of resig­nation from Jack Warner as Minister of National Security,” Persad-Bissessar said.

Asked if the resignation was of immediate effect, the Prime Minister replied: “I am awaiting the docu­ment for signature, but I have already informed His Excellency (President Anthony Carmona) by telephone. So it would take effect once my signature is attached to that document.”

Warner’s resignation followed numerous calls for him to step down as a Government minister, or for Persad-Bissessar to take action.

Warner, whose name has been at the centre of allegations of financial mismanagement while president of Concacaf and vice-­president of FIFA, did not speak to reporters on his way out.

Warner had resigned from all football posts in 2011 in the wake of a cash-for-votes bribery scandal involving fellow FIFA official Mohamed bin Hammam and members of the Caribbean Football Union, of which Warner was also president.

On Friday in Panama, chairman of the Concacaf Integrity Committee Sir David Simmons revealed a detailed report into allegations of million-dollar financial mismanagement by Warner and former Concacaf general secretary Chuck Blazer.

A delegate at the Concacaf Congress in Panama described Warner and Blazer as “white-collar thieves”.

The Prime Minister spoke to the media at her residence yesterday several hours after Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament were seen entering and exiting her gates from early afternoon, after word of an emergency meeting at her home.

Most of the Cabinet Ministers and MPs remained tight-tipped when questioned at the Prime Minister’s gates about what had been discussed.

Speculation that the meeting was to discuss Warner being fired, or handing in his resignation, was confirmed when Ramona Ramdial, Minister in the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, told the media when asked about the meeting: “I think you all already know what it is about.”

Minister of Community Develop­ment Winston “Gypsy” Peters confirmed to the media that Warner was discussed at the meeting.

Minister of Legal Affairs and political leader of the Congress of the People (COP) Prakash Ramadhar arrived at the residence around 2.30 p.m. and left the Prime Minister’s house 45 minutes later, together with COP chairman Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan and Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism Lincoln Douglas.

Ramadhar, Seepersad-Bachan and Douglas spent several minutes speaking in the car park of the residence, before leaving in separate vehicles.

On Saturday, Ramadhar issued a statement calling for Warner to step down or for him to be removed from Government.

The previous day, Seepersad-Bachan distanced the party from a statement by Minister of Communications Jamal Mohammed that Warner had the full support of his Cabinet colleagues.

Yesterday, Warner arrived at Persad-Bissessar’s home around 3 p.m. and left some two and a half hours later.

During that time he was seen in the porch area of the house holding papers in his hands, sitting and speaking with fellow ministers and entering and exiting the house.

Around 4.20 p.m., he entered the house and remained for an hour, before he exited and went into his vehicle and left the premises with two members of his security detail “riding shotgun”.

His vehicle did not stop for him to speak to reporters although the media signalled their interest to speak with him.

The Prime Minister was asked if Warner would remain as chairman of the United National Congress, of which she is political leader, and she replied: “That is not a post that I can take away. That is up to Mr Warner.”

Warner is also MP for Chaguanas West.

She said she would continue with her trip to Canada on Tuesday for a state visit, since it was planned three months ago and “we would have to honour our commitment there”.

Asked about her decision to name George as National Security Minister, she replied: “He has experience as a minister. He has experience and long years of public service.”

‘I accept the resignation’

Following is the statement made last night by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announcing the resignation of Minister of National Security Jack Warner:

“I have today accepted the offer of resignation of the Minister of National Security, Mr Jack Warner from the Cabinet of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

I wish to thank Mr Warner for his service to the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago.

I have advised His Excellency President Anthony Carmona to revoke the appointment of Mr Warner and to appoint Senator the Honourable Mr Emanuel George as Minister of National Security.

I have also advised His Excellency President Anthony Carmona to assign the portfolio of Works and Infrastructure to the Honourable Dr Suruj Rambachan in addition to his existing portfolio.”

Hon Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP
Prime Minister

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Trinidad and Tobago’s George Bovell won the 2013 edition of the Jax 50 sprint challenge that featured a bevy of Olympic talent, all vying for the title in this unique head-to-head 50-yard free only tournament on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.

Bovell, seventh in the 50m free in the London Olympics while a bronze medallist at the World Short Course Swimming Championships last December in Turkey, was making a return to the Bolles Swimming School, where he was once enrolled during his high school years, and where he laid the platform for his international success in swimming.

Bovell won the final confrontation in the men’s bracket with a 19.20 to 19.48 triumph ahead of US Olympic gold medallist Cullen Jones.

Meanwhile, Bahamas’ Ariana Vanderpool-Wallace clinched the women’s crown 22.25 to 22.48 against Amanda Weir. Weir is a US Olympian, while event champion Vanderpool-Wallace has represented the Bahamas in the Olympics.

The meet also featured the likes of Ricky Berens throwing down a 19.40 to beat 16-year-old Caeleb Dressel for fifth-place honours just a day before Berens’ birthday. The crowd in attendance sang him “Happy Birthday” prior to one of his swims.

The Jax 50 first began several years ago as a fundraiser to help the Planet Swim Foundation, which is a non-profit organisation created by Gustavo Calado and Bolles School of Sharks head coach and former Spanish Olympian Sergio Lopez. The Foundation helps underprivileged children in North Florida with free swim lessons, and has been able to fund learn-to-swim programmes for 157 children thus far.

Not only does the Jax 50 feature the sprint challenge, it also has a clinic the following day with the professional swimmers in attendance.

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Trinidad and Tobago athletes, Reyare Thomas and Janeil Bellille secured gold at the Michael Johnson/Dr Pepper Classic, in Texas, USA, on Saturday.

Thomas emerged victorious in a women’s 100 metres event in 11.61 seconds, while Bellille captured a women’s 400m hurdles title in 59.42.

Western Texas College freshman, Kernesha Spann returned a time of one minute, 01.29 seconds for fourth spot in another women’s 400m hurdles event.

Baylor University’s Gavyn Nero finished seventh in a men’s 800m race in 1:53.36. Abilene Christian University (ACU) sophomore, Osei Alleyne-Forte was 10th overall in a men’s 400m event in 49.78 seconds. In another men’s one-lap event, Zwede Hewitt clocked 47.81 for 18th spot overall. And Baylor’s Dannielle Davis finished 16th in the women’s long jump with a 5.40 metres leap.

At the Vanderbilt Invitational, in Tennessee, Arkansas State University’s Kashef Daniel cleared the bar at 2.12m to capture the men’s high jump title.

Middle Tennessee State University’s Kendall Bacchus finished eighth overall in the men’s 100m in 11.01 seconds, and 11th in the 200m in a wind-assisted 22.13.

In Louisiana, Robert Collingwood struck gold in the Southeastern Lion Invitational men’s shot put event with a 17.28m throw. His twin brother, Richard Collingwood threw the iron ball 16.08m to pick up silver.

At the Mt SAC Relays, in California, North Dakota State University’s Deborah John seized silver in the women’s 100m hurdles “B” race in a wind-aided 13.53 seconds.

Ayanna Alexander bagged bronze in the women’s invitational triple jump with a 13.66m effort.

Shawna Fermin clocked 52.88 seconds for fourth spot in the women’s invitational 400m. In the women’s 400m “A” race, Magnolia Howell was fifth in 55.21.

Chris Hercules produced a 15.77m effort to finish sixth in the men’s invitational triple jump. Portland State University’s Geronne Black clocked 11.58, for sixth spot in the Olympic Development women’s 100m dash.

Durell Busby got to the line in a windy 14.04 seconds to finish sixth in the Olympic Development men’s 110m hurdles. And in the men’s 100m “A” race, Marcus Duncan was sixth in 10.59.

At the Kansas Relays, Aleesha Barber copped fourth spot in the women’s 100m hurdles in 13.34 seconds. And in the women’s 200m, Michelle-Lee Ahye was fifth in 24.35.

In Alabama, Darrel Brown finished sixth in the Auburn War Eagle Invitational men’s 100m final in 10.71 seconds. He had clocked 10.69 in the preliminaries.

Auburn University senior, Kai Selvon was ninth in the women’s 100m final in 12.16 seconds—more than half a second slower than the 11.62 run she had produced in the qualifying round. And in the women’s 400m, another T&T/Auburn athlete, Gabriela Cumberbatch finished 14th overall in 57.01 seconds.

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FORMER Chief Justice of Barbados Sir David Simmons yesterday alleged that Minister of National Security Jack Warner “deceived persons and organisations” in relation to the true ownership of the Centre of Excellence, according to reports of findings delivered by Sir David to a Concacaf Congress.

Sir David, 73, the head of Concacaf’s specially-appointed integrity committee, alleged that Warner, 70, in deals related to the centre at Macoya, “deceived persons and organisations” into believing the facility was Concacaf’s and not Warner’s.

The former Barbados Chief Justice, who is currently chairman of the Cabinet-appointed Commission of Inquiry into the events of 1990, said: “Approximately US $26 million (TT$163 million) of Concacaf funds went into a Centre of Excellence and that is no longer an asset of Concacaf. Warner represented to Fifa that funds would be used to support development but never told Fifa that the centre would be situated on land owned by his companies.”

Funding for the facility, Sir David said, came from a number of sources including transfers from Fifa, loans from a Swiss bank – which Fifa repaid, and “donations” from Australia. However, “the money went straight into the bank account of Mr Warner through companies owned by him through partnerships.” He said at least US$5 million (TT$31.5 million) may have been sent to an account held by Warner. The jurist, in his report to the Concacaf Congress in Panama City, Panama, further alleged that Warner and former Concacaf general secretary Chuck Blazer, were guilty of “fraudulent management” of the confederation’s affairs.

Sir David was presenting the findings of a committee appointed by Concacaf in September 2012 to probe the financial affairs of its previous administration, led by Warner, who quit football amid a FIFA bribery scandal in 2011. The 113-page report was compiled based on documents and interviews with 38 people.

The other committee members included Judge Ricardo Urbina, a retired Unites States District Court Judge for the District of Columbia and Ernesto Hempe, a retired partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

In an immediate response, Warner denied any wrongdoing and stated he would not tender his resignation from cabinet in the wake of the findings of Sir David.

At the same time, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar last nightsaid she was looking into the findings and was quoted as saying she would have to take action.

“I have not seen the report but I would need to take a look at what was said,” the Prime Minister told Newsday. She was last night quoted by CNC3 News as saying, “should these allegations be true, they tell a tale of a tragic scenario. I have action to take. Natural justice demands that I see the report first.” The television station described the Prime Minister as being shocked by the allegations.

Sir David’s report to the Concacaf Congress came ahead of a private motion in Parliament next week Friday on Warner.

Reuters reported that Sir David began his address to the congress, including FIFA president Sepp Blatter, by highlighting the case of the Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence. The committee reported that the Centre, in which Concacaf invested at least $25.9 million – some of which included loans from world soccer’s governing body FIFA – was built on land owned by Warner privately and not the confederation.

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“Warner represented to FIFA that funds would be used to support development but never told FIFA that Centre would be situated on land owned by his companies,” said Sir David. “There is no evidence that Warner or anyone else ever disclosed to the Concacaf executive committee or congress that lands on which the Centre was built was owned by his companies.”

Further findings indicated that Fifa funds were used to purchase the third of three parcels on which the Centre of Excellence is built on behalf of one of Warner’s companies. The purchase was said to be at an undervalue.

“Mr Warner engaged in secret dealings in which he probably made a secret profit,” Sir David was reported to have said. “Mr Warner deceived those persons or companies into believing that the Center of Excellence was a Concacaf property.” He said Warner was in breach of fiduciary duties and criticised the role of a former Concacaf accountant. He summed it up as a tale of greed: “a sad and sorry tale in the life of Concacaf when the likes of persons who assisted in bringing the organisation profitability enrich themselves at the expense of their own organisation.”

Blazer did not escape scrutiny from the Simmons report which revealed that the American, who worked without a contract since July 18, 1998, received over US$20 million in compensation from Concacaf including US$17 million in commission.

Simmons also laid the blame of Concacaf losing their tax-exempt status as a non-profit organisation in the US exclusively on the shoulders of Blazer who was “entirely negligent” for failing to file the body’s income tax returns. Sir David also noted that Concacaf’s auditor- Kenny Rampersad and Company in Trinidad - was not independent as both Warner and Blazer was its private clients.

The Ethics Committee was yesterday instructed to continue their probe into the ownership of the Centre of Excellence.

Warner yesterday declared that he will not tender his resignation in the wake of reports of the findings. Newsday caught up with the Chaguanas MP inside the Parliament building as he was stepping out of the chamber where a debate was still ongoing.

Asked if he would resign in the wake of the findings by Sir David of “fraudulent management”, Warner said, “Why should I resign? For Concacaf and Fifa? I will resign tomorrow morning for anything I have done here. But if you want to look at my record at Concacaf and Fifa which shall be in the Parliament next week Friday, it is impeccable. Why should I resign? In Concacaf and Fifa I have been an achiever. I am asked to resign for something outside of Trinidad for something in which I have been a member for 20 years in one case and 30 years for another. At the end of the day I do not see a reason. What have I to resign for?”

Asked to respond to the allegation of “fraudulent management” Warner questioned whether Sir David’s report was a matter of allegations or evidence.

“I don’t know what he said and I do not know if that is a matter of evidence or a matter of allegations,” the minister said. “I have not seen the report and believe you me I am not even remotely interested.” Warner said he declined to appear before Sir David and the committee.

“He wrote to me a few times and I refused to answer him,” Warner said. “That was a long time ago. I have not seen the report and I am not even remotely interested.”

Asked if he deceived Concacaf or Fifa into thinking it owned the Centre of Excellence, Warner said, “I am totally denying that. Fifa is a worldwide organisation with billions and billions of dollars and tonnes of lawyers from all over the world. Poor humble me, from Rio Claro, could deceive FIFA? If I did that I would have to be exceptionally good. I should be the head of the class.”

Warner continued, “At the end of the day there is a thing called overkill and at some point in time you realise that this is really overkill with Jack Warner, Concacaf and FIFA.”

Asked if he had siphoned US $26 million through Centre of Excellence payments, Warner said, “I repeat, there is no basis for that either. But if they have that evidence, disclose it to the public. I have nothing to hide. If they have that evidence, tell the public.”

Asked if he received corrupt payments in relation to the facility, Warner said, “I have not. I have been in Concacaf for 20 years as president. I have never signed a Concacaf cheque in my life. I have never opened a Concacaf account in my life. I have never deposited any money from there for 20 years.”

He continued, “I will say to you as I will say in Parliament on Friday, in 20 years I have not signed one cheque. I have not made one Concacaf deposit, I have not signed one Concacaf contract, I have not done one Concacaf transfer for 20 years. And I had the power to do so as a signatory to all of those accounts as president. I never did. I did not. Isn’t that strange?”

Warner criticised the Opposition.

“The more desperate they get is the more dangerous they will behave and I am prepared to fight them head-on. I am not cowed by Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley or PNM Senator Fitzgerald Hinds. I will take them head-on. Inside Parliament, outside Parliament. Inside the party, outside the party. I will take them on head on,” Warner said.

In a press release issued last night, Warner said, “Concacaf’s report today is of no concern to me and as far as I am aware it is baseless. If after 20 years of being the president of Concacaf all its Committee could have found is some baseless claim against me involving the Centre of Excellence then I will continue to sleep very soundly at nights.”

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