Young targets ex-UNC chairman: 'Ticket to Miami booked for Warner'

PNM chairman Stuart Young said he has a first-class ticket waiting to send former UNC chairman Jack Warner to Miami.

Young, who is also Energy Minister and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, made the statement at a PNM public meeting in Chaguanas on Friday night.

He referred to a television news report which alleged that Warner plans to speak at a UNC public meeting on Monday, to announce that he will join his former political colleagues Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Gary Griffith to fight the local government elections against the PNM.

Reminding the population that Warner is still facing extradition to the United States for corruption charges relating to when he was FIFA vice president, Young declared, "I'm offering Jack Warner a first-class ticket to Miami waiting for him, if he wants to go."

On November 17, 2022, the Privy Council paved the way for the continuation of the proceedings to extradite Warner to the US to face the charges.

The London court held that the US’s request for Warner’s extradition was not unfair.

The proceedings in the local court were stalled when Waner, the former FIFA jefe, challenged the process by which the extradition proceedings against him were carried out and sought to quash the authority to proceed (ATP) signed by the Attorney General in September 2015. This was after the US asked for him to be extradited to face 29 charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering. The request was made on July 24, 2015.

After the 2015 general election, the then attorney general, Faris Al-Rawi, offered to allow Warner to make representations, but only on the condition the deadline for receipt of the ATP would be extended with his consent.

Warner refused to agree to the condition. His attorneys argued he was not given sufficient time to make representations, nor was he given disclosures of any evidence the US intended to use to secure his extradition.

The ATP gave the magistrate the green light to begin committal proceedings.

Warner is represented by Fyard Hosein, SC, Sasha Bridgemohansingh, Anil Maraj and Aadam Hosein. Appearing for ASP Alleyne, who is acting on the request of the US, are James Lewis, KC, Douglas Mendes, SC, Pamela Elder, SC, Ravi Rajcoomar, SC, Netram Kowlessar and Ryan Rajcoomar.

Young told voters not to be fooled by whatever Warner tells them should he decide to join Persad-Bissessar and Griffith.

"We have to tell Jack Warner to rock so."

Moments before Young spoke, an audio clip of Griffith criticising Persad-Bissessar's work hours when she was prime minister was played.

Griffith served as national security adviser to Persad-Bissessar and national security minister at different times during the tenure of the UNC-led People's Partnership (PP) coalition.

He was appointed police commissioner under the Dr Keith Rowley-led election but was not reappointed for a second term. 

Young reminded PNM supporters that Griffith's National Transformation Alliance has formed an alliance with the UNC for the elections because both parties know they cannot defeat the PNM on their own.