Port-of-Spain Mayor and president of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), Raymond Tim Kee, yesterday said he was standing by statements he made last week, confirming that embattled former national security minister Jack Warner used TTFA funds to pay for a dinner banquet hosted by the United National Congress (UNC) prior to the 2010 general election.
Although the dinner was held at a popular hotel and conference centre in Port-of-Spain and attracted a plethora of current and past politicians, businessmen and other private entrepreneurs, the bill was allegedly forwarded to the TTFA for payment.
Questioned about the matter outside the Port-of-Spain City Corporation early yesterday—minutes after presenting medals and trophies to the winners of a 5K walk-a-thon by members of the community to mark City Month celebrations, Tim Kee repeated, “I said I saw a bill and I explained what was on that bill.”
Pressed to respond on the matter, which prompted leader of government business Dr Roodal Moonilal to label the claims as “rubbish” and “nonsense” during last Friday’s sitting of the House of Representatives, Tim Kee smiled as he replied, “There is nothing to respond to. I have said what I have to say, it was one simple thing.” He declined to comment further on the issue.
During his contribution on the motion to adopt the second report of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives on Friday, Moonilal referred to Tim Kee’s exclusive interview with the T&T Guardian on June 4, in which he confirmed receipt of the invoice for the banquet. Saying the statement was “reckless” and “irresponsible,” Moonilal warned Tim Kee “to stay out of that business before you yourself are further implicated.”
Asked yesterday if he was concerned that more bombshells by Warner could spell trouble for the TTFA, Tim Kee said, “No, I am not. Nobody knows what Mr Warner is going to say next, he is a strategist but it really does not matter. What has gone has gone.” However, Tim Kee said he remained focused on improving local football.
“I am looking in a new direction. I am taking football to a different paradigm, that is where my preoccupation is,” he added, reaffirming his unwavering commitment to the game and ensuring that local athletes benefit from the sport.
Football is not politics
Questioned how he was going to ensure that the sport was untainted from here on out, Tim Kee pledged, “Football is not politics. I will ensure that football doesn’t get involved in politics. Everything has its own politics, but we don’t want national politics in it, not at all, absolutely not.” Assuring that the local footballing fraternity will continue to be looked after, he continued, “A national team is a national team. It doesn’t differentiate anybody from a particular persuasion. You have all types of people from this country who will represent us and that's it.”
He revealed that as part of the TTFA’s effort to account to the nation, they will host a media conference next week, “where everything we have done so far will be ventilated to the national community because we emphasise good governance and transparency and accountability.” The date, time and venue is expected to be subsequently announced.