Jack Warner: Trinidad's Corrupt Disgrace

Ordinarily, Cartel Watch wouldn't recommend a "men's mag" to our refined readers - but of course we make an exception for the fine work of the indispensable Andrew Jennings.

In the March issue of FHM, Mr Jennings fires another volley of artillery directly into the heart of the enemy lines. And what a fine shot he is!

Read as much of Mr. Jennings' work as you can, dear reader, and you will learn just how crooked Jack Warner and his FIFA cronies are.



For reasons still lost on us, Jack Warner - a.k.a. the Colossus of Cartel, Jack in the Bucks, FIFA Tief, Daddy Warbucks, Slippery Pete - gets a free pass from the media in Trinidad and Tobago. But Cartel Watch will always provide a window into his world-wide mischief.

At present Trinidad and Tobago is one of the only governments in the Americas/Caribbean (and possibly in the world) that will stand up to Warner. So, the Colossus is now hard at work to put his puppet Kamla in the seat of power.

Warner and Kamla - two political neophytes with unlimited funds will make for an interesting election season. With a compliant cartel media supporting the whole effort, Mr Manning has quite a battle ahead of him.

Cartel Watch remains staunchly independent, but we will provide ongoing election coverage as we seek to expose the illegal activities, the illicit behaviour and the ill-fitting pants of corrupt power players in Trinidad and Tobago.

Veritas liberabit vos!

More Rowley – Just for once can you tell us the truth and your real interest

Cartel Watch has had Rowley on the brain lately. But who could blame us? Dr. Keith Rowley still lands in and among the screaming headlines of our newspapers on a daily basis. (Ask us sometime for our opinion on screaming headlines.)

Today, we wonder: if UDeCOTT and the entire construction contracting system is to be condemned for years of naughty behavior, wasn't Dr. Keith Rowley Minister (4 posts) during much of the period in question? As the Line Minister responsible for HDC, is it really likely he was unaware of the hanky panky going on in the Housing programs? Legend has it that he orchestrated many of the shady deals himself.

Don't forget all the other government contracting irregularities, including all the allegations against UDeCOTT, NHIC and Warner and related companies/projects. What kind of Minister and leader was he? Out to lunch with his "good friend" Emile Elias? Asleep at his La Horquetta apartment? Or did he have his hand in the public purse like all the rest now being accused?

Suddenly Rowley becomes the only honest man in T&T, following all his years of handing out billions in contracts to a construction cartel repeatedly identified as riddled with routine corruption and incompetence. The problems that are alleged to have been systemic and systematic certainly existed during Rowley's Ministerial terms. It doesn't seem possible that allegations should only be leveled against the Brian Lara Stadium and the MLA tower projects. We should be equally concerned about all previous awards, contracts and projects, so lets get at the real root of the issue: Who won most of the contracts under Rowley's tenure? Those parties should be investigated along with Rowley's specific involvement in the awarding of contracts. This is especially important now, in light of the allegations of an illegal Rowley Family bank account in the Caymans which had almost 6 million U.S. dollars pass through it since 2007.

One may wonder: what is the point of re-opening such issues as the many corrupt contracts awarded 5 and 10 years ago?

Because, dear readers, those who profited from such illegal and unethical cartel activities are now placing themselves to take even higher positions of government authority, and win the next round of contracts and elections. We cannot afford to allow those foxes to guard the chicken coops AGAIN without first making sure they are as clean as a new toothbrush.

Otherwise, Trinidad and Tobago will be doomed to yet another cycle of the same contracting corruption the UFF report has only addressed IN PART. Instituting good procedures will help, but not if the same old crooks are recycled back into the same authority they abused previously

Let's see a real accounting of what the Rowleys have in which bank accounts before giving Dr. Keith a vindication and clean bill, though. If the truth is aired, he won't be given another shot at the public purse.

Cartel Watch is pleased that the Attorney General has called for a Forensic investigation into the Cleaver Heights project, the lack of Rowley’s oversight and mismanagement, awarding of a $150 million dollar project to Rowley's buddy Elias and NHIC and the missing $10 million dollars in funds. We insist that while they are investigating this matter they should look into the allegations of the Rowley Cayman account, their Trinidad-based First Citizens accounts and their alleged purchase of bonds.

Playing The Political Game at The Expense of Justice

Attorney General John Jeremie believes that we should investigate the accuser before we investigate the accused.

AG Jeremie has made it clear that whomever made the allegation against Dr Keith Rowley is more important than the truth of the case. If someone he does not like or trust has made an allegation, he is allowed to ignore it because of the source.

Cartel Watch is more than willing to stand up to the Attorney General and remind him of his sworn duty. It is John Jeremie's job to investigate ALL serious allegations of corruption, regardless of source. Cartel Watch finds it much too hard to believe that an AG could make such a vapid statement in a day and age when new investigations are flying in our faces every day. If you'll notice, most every investigation in the last 10 years came from leaked information from one aggrieved party against another. Imagine that!

Tell us, Mr Jeremie - you can not investigate a claim unless it is a "friend" who leaks such allegations and not an enemy? WHAT?

What matters is not who alleged the crime but whether it is actually a crime! Jeremie and the DPP and the Police and the ACIB and the Commissions and the Association of Artistes and the Anti-Canadian League can chase old "blue eyes" Calder Hart all over the world because his fax was used by a private company... or his wife had relatives involved in a company that won a UDeCOTT contract... on and on... but allegations of a former Minister skimming our billions in the very same contracts can not be investigated when even more damning evidence is exposed? Simply because AG Jeremie doesn't like the source of the leak?

Sure, Trinidad and Tobago is a small island. And we don't claim to be the most sophisticated country in the world, but this is simply idiotic.

AG Jeremie had better get one thing straight: protecting Keith Rowley "just in case" is not as smart a political move as he thinks it is. Playing the political game at the expense of Justice will come back around to bite him. If the UNC wins power, Mr Jeremie may find himself catching a last-minute flight to Florida too.

Dr. Keith Rowley and His Wife, Politically Exposed Persons?

International banking standards require financial institutions to be particularly careful when dealing with persons in position of power who could have access to ill-gotten funds. These Politically Exposed Persons are public officials whose duties or powers put them in position for potential corruption.

As you might expect, Dr Keith Rowley is a Politically Exposed Person (PEP) because of his MP and Cabinet Minister positions in Trinidad and Tobago. PEP designations also apply to the family (Sharon Rowley) and close associates (Emile Elias) of such an official.

It's not a "bad" thing to be designated PEP. But it does mean there are certain risks associated.

For more information, see:

Global PEP List – Politically Exposed Persons

Wolfsberg FAQ's on Politically Exposed Persons

Politically Exposed Persons

Politically Exposed Persons—Overview

Politically exposed persons (PEPs): Good practice

Even off-shore banks in a tax haven like the Caymans must follow tough guidelines and stand up to international scrutiny when it comes to money laundering activity. So, these banks are required to take special measures when dealing with customers who are designated PEP.

Within the context of this required level of customer scrutiny, the Caymans enjoy some of the strictest banking secrecy laws in the world.

The Attorney General in Grand Cayman can not release any information whatsoever regarding the ownership or non-ownership of accounts for Politcally Exposed Persons. (As a matter of fact, this same rule applies to banks in Trinidad and Tobago.)

And the banks themselves can not issue the sort of information and representations Sharon Rowley has loudly claimed. The General Manager of the Alexandria Bankcorp can't acknowledge there is or is not an account, because banking law does not allow it. Serious penalties accompany these banking secrecy rules, not to mention the reputations of large financial institutions hang on the concept of privacy. Imagine if a bank reported: there is no account... there is no account... well, actually, we have no comment. That would certainly indicate there was an account, so the standard Agency Lender Disclosure legal requirement is "no comment."

The same goes for First Citizens Bank of TT. They can not release Sharon Rowley's account - only she can do that - and she certainly would not reveal it voluntarily or risk exposing all their funds and movement of their money.

Based on documents we have seen and conversations we've held, Sharon and Keith Rowley are Lying. No one in authority has said there is no Cayman account - neither Attorney General John Jeremie nor the Alexandria Bancorp in Cayman. Sharon Rowley is clearly lying, and alone in her denial, which rings hollow and suspicious. Dr Rowley has only come out to say that he personally has no account in Cayman. Well, no one has suggested that is so – it was alleged his wife does. It is merely documented that Dr Rowley is signatory to his wife's accounts, worth upward of U.S. $6,000,000, and that these accounts were not disclosed under the Integrity Act. And there seems to be enough evidence pointing in that direction to warrant an investigation.

Here we have Mrs Rowley fervently denying ownership of accounts and waving letters and statements which are flatly illegal and therefore presumably false. There we have Dr Rowley attempting to distance himself from his wife's finances, but loudly claiming that HE has no account off-shore account.

As we have explained, a Politically Exposed Person is at risk of corruption and therefore his close friends and family are suspect as well.

An investigation must be conducted in this matter, but it can only be performed by an anti-corruption commission with special subpoena powers.

If they care one speck about the people and the people's money, they will save us the time and trouble of an investigation. Dr and Mrs Rowley must open ALL their finances, and especially the First Citizens Bank accounts. The Attorney General may not have jurisdiction in the Cayman islands, but he and the Integrity Commission can surely look into the allegations of current or past accounts with First Citizens and the purchase of bonds.

They will never do it, because of the risk of being exposed. As a couple, they should be the poster children for Politically Exposed Persons who try to hide ill-gotten gains.

And as we have seen for years, the cover-up will ultimately hurt more than the crime itself.

Cartel Watch calls for Dr Rowley and his wife to come clean - or face a real investigation.

Taking a Real Look at Rowley's Accounts

Part 2

Cartel Watch is following media reports and comments from Dr. Rowley and the Attorney General.

And regardless of actual proof, the details and specifics in the public domain are hard to deny. Someone has obviously done their homework and such details warrant an inquiry by the Integrity Commission, and more so, the details warrant a thorough forensic investigation into the Rowley's alleged illegal activities. Here is what Cartel Watch knows to date:


Apparently there are actual account numbers, phone numbers and actual dates of transactions to and from Trinidad and Tobago accounts to accounts in the Caymans. It seems there is a lot of circumstantial evidence here pointing blame and deceit on behalf of the Rowleys. And not just a few facts, there is enough information to almost end the speculation and infer guilt.


What we do know is that there is a missing 10 million dollars from the Scarborough Hospital project. A deal that involved Emile Elias and Sharon Rowley, wife of Dr. Rowley, while he was Minister of Minister of Planning, Housing and Environment. While Dr. Rowley was Minister, why was his "good friend" Emile Elias allowed to not only bid, but be awarded a contract that he had influence over - especially when his wife, who is an attorney, was a sub contractor on the project? Regardless of the technical details, the circumstances of this award are wrong. Contracts should never be awarded in such a fashion. When a Commission of Enquiry was suggested, why did it never occurr? And adding salt to the wound, the Scarborough Hospital project isn't even complete, with no date of completion in sight.

Cartel Watch wonders, when the initial reports surfaced, why the Attorney General would denounce such an account so fast without a proper forensic investigation. From our research, we understand it takes months, if not years to obtain such information from offshore banking institutions. We also wondered how the AG managed to get such definitive data in such a short time and would it have been truly impossible that such was done legally and with proper procedures.

Even the all mighty powerful Canadian and US Governments have had extensive troubles with offshore accounts. The US Government has been fighting for years with the Swiss Government and Swiss Banks seeking access to accounts of thousands of Americans who are sheltering their funds from US taxes. The AG for Cayman could NOT possibly have gone to the bank, demanded such information and released it all in the same day or two. With thousands of accounts in 261 banking and financial institutions one has to wonder. Dr. Rowley and his wife must be thankful the banks pride themselves in secrecy and will protect their mischief at all cost. Either way, the proprietors of these banks will not easily confirm or deny that accounts exist or have ever existed. The banks' livelihoods depend on such secrecy.

We urge the newly appointed Integrity Commission to initiate a full forensic investigation into Dr. Rowley and his wife's alleged offshore banking improprieties. We also urge the AG to directly contact the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force and the just recently formed Cayman Island's Anti Corruption Commission for help in these criminal allegations.

Taking a Real Look at Rowley's Accounts

Part 1

A lot of speculation has been growing over the likely existence of Dr. Keith Rowley and Sharon Riley's illegal offshore accounts in the Caymans. Doubters have threatened Cartel Watch for even speculating that such an account exists or that a forensic investigation should be held into the allegations. (Coincidentally, one of these doubters does an awful lot of conspicuous defending of Emile Elias in the blogosphere.)


At Cartel Watch, we don't think that anyone is above the law and that every allegation must be thoroughly investigated. This is why we agree with current investigation into the Calder, Sherine Hart, and Sunway affair.


As Dr. Rowley and his wife go on about their business, defensively denying that Caymans accounts exist, the debate continues to swirl. One does have to wonder, though, that if so much detailed information was reported by the media about institutions holding the alleged illegal investments, transactions, account managers and bond buys, that perhaps the allegations really are true.


While TT's record on money laundering leaves a bit to be desired, it's clear that the accounts need an independent body such as the Integrity Commission to provide a forensic investigation into such alleged mischief - maybe even the COP would take up such an investigation. There seems to be too much detailed information available for this to be a complete hoax. (Who could honestly be in a position to invent great numbers of bond purchases?)


Cartel Watch does not carry any actual proof of the accounts - only mere inside knowledge from others "in the know" and from what we read in the paper - so we can only speculate on how guilty the Rowleys might be. Regardless, we believe there should be a lot more discussion and analysis of this topic, as it is sure to foster debate for weeks to come.

What is Elias Afraid of?

Cartel Watch reads the news of investigations every day with great interest. Whether it's UDeCOTT, Piarco, Panday, Rowley, Hart, or Elias - Cartel Watch believes that the bright light of public scrutiny is crucial to the future of TT.


That's why it's a shame that Emile Elias is trying to silence and intimidate the man charged with the forensic investigation of the Landate scandal.

This sort of behaviour is sadly typical of the wealthy and powerful cartels in TT. This childish letter ("Dear Bob...") is simultaneously a clear case of arrogant intimidation (I know where you live, Bob, and I'll prove it in the papers) and also a case of a frightened plea (Come on, Bob, just take the word of the disgraced Integrity Commission. Sure, they were dismissed, but we should still trust their investigations of little old me.)

Publicly intimidating his enemies and publicly begging for mercy. How sad that we consider this front page news, and the Guardian report says not a word about why the investigation is underway.

The original Commission of Enquiry in the matter specifically recommended a forensic investigation of the Landate scandal. The COE did not go so far as to lay guilt or blame on Elias or Rowley because that is not their role. But the Commission report damn sure called for an investigation of Grand Larceny - to the tune of TT $50,000,000.

Elias cleverly positions himself as concerned for the waste of taxpayer dollars as a result of these investigations. Really, Mr. Elias? You're accused of stealing $50 million from the people of this country and you expect us to let you go free? We will gladly pay the cost of finding the truth. The newspapers and broadcasters in this country are a perpetual motion machine fed by the purest form of energy known to media: INVESTIGATION!

Sure, they can be politically motivated or the result of a vendetta. (Sound familiar, Carl Khan?)

But at the heart (or if you're a clever newspaper editor: Hart!) of it, we seek the truth.

What ARE you afraid of, Mr Elias?


We know you have little regard for the people's money. You unapologetically absconded from Scarborough Hospital with tens of millions. So, please, don't treat us like fools.

Elias can keep a tally of the cost of investigating crooked business practices.

We tally the massive cost of allowing Emile Elias to steal from the public purse.

Elias has white-washed the public, so far, and he'll do anything to keep the money flowing his way.

Emile Elias: Corrupt. Incompetent. Bad Listener?

Well, in case you missed it, yesterday was the saddest day of poor Emile Elias' life.
Cartel Watch thinks the only reason he could possibly be sad is that he sees the end of his cartel coming nigh.

If you read the Prime Minister's quote properly or listened to it carefully - any thinking person can understand that he was not "declaring" a war, but making an analogy about the state of play in Construction vs The People of This Country.

The Construction Cartel in this country is corrupt and, relatively speaking, incompetent. They don't follow building codes. Mikey Joseph admitted this on morning radio this week. They can't build buildings over 5 storeys. They overcharge and chronically underperform.

The Government of TT - on a huge development push - shouldn't have to be held ransom by Elias and his goons just because they're the only game in town!

Bring in the competition! Bring in companies who will actually invest in their workforce! Bring in contractors who know how to properly manage a project and get. it. done.

THREE YEARS for local contractors to build a simple police station. Foreign contractors managed the NAPA project and finished it in 8 months.

The difference in performance is attributable directly to corruption and incompetence from Emile Elias and his ilk. They moan and whine and wave their arms when Government refuses to put up with it. They are so blinded by their resistance to change that they can not even hear properly. It is the Construction Cartel that has declared the war. Mr. Manning is simply pointing it out and refusing to bend to their will. Good for him.

Meanwhile, Emile Elias is near tears. Poor old guy. Maybe it's time for him to retire to the Caymans where his crooked company his based. No one could expect him to perform at his age anyhow.

If he needs something to cheer him up, we're happy to report that a competent foreign contractor is cleaning up his impossible mess at Scarborough Hospital

Rowley Fails to Learn Panday’s Lesson

On Friday, the daily papers (silly as they are) reported that a former Cabinet member is under investigation for violation of the Integrity Act.
Do you doubt that the former Minister in question is Dr. Keith Rowley? Our least favorite geologist surely felt the seismic shock waves when this one hit. He sounded like a man on fire. Cartel Watch wonders if Rowley’s famous temper led to a little “re-decorating” around the house when this story came out. Watch out for flying furniture!

Cartel Watch hopes the puzzle pieces will finally be put together: Rowley could never account for the missing $10 million from Scarborough and now we find out he and his wife have an offshore account with more than $40 million in it ( he is a signatory and benefits from it.) Wow.


How could he not learn from Basdeo Panday’s mistakes of a few years ago? If your wife has an offshore account with MILLIONS of dollars in it, you really ought to consider reporting it. Panday saw jail time for a much smaller sum in a much easier to track bank account. Could Rowley be so arrogant that he believed he could get away with something the old Lion could not?

Amazingly, Rowley has so far avoided the guillotine from the Scarborough Hospital scandal.Explain to us one more time how Emile Elias managed to charge the Government for building materials that he used at your private Landdate project? And where did that $10 million go, Keith? What a disgrace. With continued vigilance, Rowley will eventually receive his reward and the Elias Cartel will be exposed.


It appears that Rowley may not be getting off easily in the Scarborough matter, afterall, because a knight in shining armor arrived this morning: A proper police forensic investigation will reveal Rowley’s greed and corruption and we’ll finally see his golfing buddy Emile Elias exposed.


Kudos to Kamla and company for orchestrating two major exposes in two weeks. First they find “evidence” on Hart from Malaysia, and now they leak info on secret bank accounts from Rowley. Kamla will apparently stop at nothing. If that means Rowley and Elias go down, Cartel Watch can’t complain.


Rowley may learn Panday’s Integrity lesson the hard way.

Caught!

Kamla, Jack, Gopeesingh and Maharaj were caught red-handed last night enjoying the fruits of Patrick Manning's labor.

It was nice to see this gruesome foursome taking some time off from plotting the destruction of Mr Manning and anyone who gets in their way.

Well... maybe that's exactly what they were doing last night.

It's hard to tell, because when the putrid posse made their grand entrance at the Hyatt, they found no tables available at the packed outdoor bar and were funneled away to the empty dining room. Maybe they expected their subjects to rise and offer up 4 thrones??

Cartel Watch enjoyed watching their bubbles burst - and we find this significant for two main reasons:

1- the new Hyatt - second highest grossing in the region - is a resounding success and Port of Spain's #1 place to see and be seen.

2- Jack Warner might be able to buy dozens of FIFA votes and world leaders may bow at his feet , but he and his cronies can't get a table at Patrick Manning's Hyatt!

Beware of their false indignation over government development projects, my friends. Cartel Watch will continue to expose the corruption and hypocrisy of Warner and his pals.

Jack Warner Selling Indulgences

Photo by Marie-Lan Nguyen, Wikimedia Commons.

The fine English people are being forced to worship at Jack Warner’s altar. They committed the Cardinal Sin of proposing a strong World Cup bid without first obtaining Jack Warner’s blessing.

And the wages of Sin are getting expensive these days.

First, the fine English people are subjected to public castigation and scorn by the Caribbean Colossus of Cartel.




Then, they make an offering to appease the Colossus, which is vehemently rejected.



Next, they are made to publicly bow and scrape and display their proper respects to Him.



Relief washes over in an awesome way, as it appears the World Cup bidders finally found the favor of Jack Warner!

Yet, we learn today that forgiveness from the Almighty Colossus of Cartel has a cost – because Jack Warner demands steep payments to absolve original sin.

Indulgence #1: $330,000 for wine and food and entertainment of the Colossus and his Court.

Indulgence #2: $500,000 more for the Colossus to build a playground for his subjects.

AMEN! You are forgiven!

But there is more to this pitiful story. Jack Warner, the ultimate corrupt politician, has found a way to get his dirty name plastered on a shiny new sports complex, have his… hand… kissed by world leaders, AND finance the patronage of UNC voters without spending a dime of his own money.

Warner’s England FA-financed gala featured none other than his newest political puppet, Kamla.

From left David Dein, International Chairman -England’s 2018 Bidding Committee, Barbara Dein, Opposition and UNC Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and CFU president Jack Warner share a light moment at the CFU dinner to kick off the 33rd Congress in the Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel Friday night. Photo Sean Nero.


We demand an investigation into Jack Warner’s blatantly illegal funding of UNC party activity through the FIFA apparatus. We hold England blameless in this debacle, but Jack Warner can not be allowed to use his international network of crooked football cronies to meddle in the internal political affairs of Trinidad and Tobago.

The media will continue to smile and ignore Jack Warner’s obvious fraud. The castrated media may never stand up to the sleaze of the Colossus, but Cartel Watch will continue to call out his corruption!

Who is Watching the Watchmen?

Journalism is a right and noble profession to which we look for truth, justice and accountability.

A robust news media operating freely in society allows us to expect transparency and responsibility from our leaders, our law makers, our law enforcers, our courts and ourselves.

Cartel Watch cringes over something we read in the papers every single morning. Over the past 4 days, we’ve been treated to cringe-inducing tripe from nearly every outlet regarding some construction project up in Arima.

And it’s all with thanks to Sasha Mohammed. She is an embarrassment to her profession, and Cartel Watch dearly wishes we had the opportunity to tell her so personally. CCN TV6 should sack her immediately along with the producers who have aided and abetted her years of pathetic “journalism”.

We know she’s a mistress of an opposition MP -- Paging Dr. Gopeesingh -- Paging Dr. Gopeesingh --we know she’s bought and paid for. Look at the front page of today’s Express promoting her upcoming report on the “Fall” of Panday. Do we doubt that her lover was involved in the back-stabbing hack job to eliminate old Bas? Do we doubt that her story will quote handfuls of uncited sources and include all sorts of privileged and unsubstantiated information? It’s a matter of course for Sasha.

Take the latest case of the church: is it only Cartel Watch who notices that there is not one single first-hand source for her latest supposed controversy? Her most recent concocted episode of “who said/who built/who didn’t say” is certainly filling up the white space in our beloved TT dailies, yet we’ve seen less than a shred of evidence to prove any of the statements and allegations Sasha has made.

What have we seen so far with we eyes? A photo of the construction site! A photo mysteriously and ominously “delivered” to Jack Warner.

(Yes, THAT Jack Warner.)

What sort of story can we derive from a photo of a concrete pylons on a dirt field? Just dip into Sasha’s imagination and find out!

On second thought, don’t. You will emerge stupider after the exercise and I do not want to be held liable for the damages.

Our only question is, please, Sasha, tell us: did anyone see fairies placing the cornerstone of the church?

Now based on Sasha's poor performance we have to watch the cascading (or is it snowballing?) effects of substandard journalism. One newspaper reports what another newspaper has reported from another newspaper which draws its information from a television station's previous reporting.

Anybody catch that? Not a single source of real verifiable information.

This is the worst kind of journalism and beneath all of us. The editors and journalists should be embarrassed. If they have a real story, they should report it the right way: with sources.

Alas, this is what we are subjected to from the sad-sack news media in this country. There appears to be no expectation of professionalism, ethics or accountability in the news media, and the people suffer. There are some bright spots in the dark sky, such as William Lucie-Smith who writes commentary in the Express, but we must expect more objectivity and more factual reporting.

The TT media must hold themselves to a higher standard or we face nothing but perpetual Third World status from now into eternity. Trinidad and Tobago deserve better. Trinidad and Tobago must be better.

Tell the editors and the producers and the politicians and anyone who will listen: we will not be led on a masquerade to hell by Sasha Mohammed, Ria Taitt, Andre Bagoo and the other bought-and-paid-for journalists of this country.

Jack Warner: The Colossus of Cartel

Jack Warner has so much money and so much power that he operates like rules, laws, morals and ethics do not even apply. Jack Warner is a Colossus of Cartel.

Whether in sport or in politics, Mr Warner re-defines the modern cartel. Crooked he may be, but he is no common crooked politician. He is not even a common corrupt sporting official. Jack Warner has risen above these centuries-old models of self-aggrandizement and self-interest, to become something even more powerful.





Like the Colossus of Rhodes of ancient times, this Colossus of Cartel stands on two sturdy legs with two formidable arms and a determination to terrify all within his reach for his own benefit and most often at the detriment of the average hard working Trini. Warner, Colossus of Cartel, stands on legs of incalculable wealth. His right arm is the 35 FIFA votes of North America, Central America and the Caribbean that he is rumored to have sold many times over to the highest bidder. His left arm is the entire UNC party apparatus that he controls like a puppet master. His shield is the media. Warner the Colossus rules by fear.


This is where Cartel Watch believes Jack Warner stands out in a crowd of the corrupt. Warner is not merely reliant on money for influence. And he is not hamstrung by crude violence as a tool for inspiring fear. With his unmatched ability to giveth and taketh away 35 FIFA votes and his ability to give and taketh away political power at a whim, he positions himself to build up or destroy anything or anyone he pleases. Even if its the reputation of his beloved country of Trinidad and Tobago.


If the Colossus of Cartel can control the most popular sport in the world, what else is there? Neither the President of the United States, nor the Secretary General of the United Nations could twist an arm like Jack Warner. Word has it that Barack Obama’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago had as much to do with appeasing the Colossus of Cartel as it did international diplomacy. Cartel Watch wonders if Jack Warner is beyond control. It is left to the people and the blogosphere to stand up to the Colossus. We call for an Inquiry into the real workings of the Colussus of Cartel, Jack Warner, and we demand an indictment.

Rowley Limin wit Elias

Cartel Watch always finds it interesting to note what kind of company the wealthy and powerful keep. This weekend we were witness to the political and social pairing of the decade.

It will come as no surprise for you, dear reader, to hear that a good mix of the elite mingled and wined the night away at the immortal Brian Lara's home Sunday night, where Mr Lara may have set a new world record for hospitality.

Who were the most powerful among the mix, you ask?

Eagerly indulging in Mr Lara's kindness were two of Cartel Watch's least favorite power players: Mr Emile Elias and Dr Keith Rowley. Each with an entourage, of course.

One can only imagine how it steams Elias to show up at Mr Lara's home, knowing his companies were passed over to build the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Elias must lay awake at night wishing he could lord that beautiful stadium over Mr Lara and all the rest of us. At least we know Brian Lara doesn't need Elias' crooked money. Dr Rowley, on the other hand...

Rowley and Elias! That pair show no compunction about rubbing elbows right out in the open!
Sipping cognac (a nice tall Hennessy for Dr Rowley) and gazing down their noses at one and all.

They won't even do us the favor of keeping their dirty deals in private. They must think we blind!

Are they so disdainful of the people?

Are they so sure they can get away with it?

Cartel Watch will not stand for it. The people of Trinidad and Tobago will not stand for it!

We have had enough of the insider deals from Elias and his cronies. We are not afraid to expose the corruption.

We believe Trinidad and Tobago deserves better.

Oh, Dr. Rowley… Where does one begin?

His politics have quickly fallen into a bi-polar pattern of holy-than-thou grandstanding and tail-betwixt-his-legs groaning.
In last week’s papers he has a real go at sport and only makes himself sound silly. Here he is faulting the sporting ministry for attempting to repair and make good on old faulty business practices of the past, when only a few months ago he was a minister of this government and in real position to address any real “problems.”

So where is the real problem? Is it with the Ministry or the Minister of Sport? Or is it really with Keith Rowley, now spurned by the PNM and supported by his construction mogul pal Emile Elias? (Does anyone wonder how frustrated Mr. Elias must be by the new ethical contracting procedures of the Ministry of Sport?)

As far as third-world Elias is concerned, Rowley is finally in the perfect position to play the concerned public servant when we all know that a real leader and a real patriot would have done so much more than carp from the sidelines.

Which brings us to the other side of Dr Rowley’s two-sided politics these days. When he’s not gazing down upon his former colleagues in the cabinet, casting aspersions, there he sulks in the corner… a lowly “back-bencher”. He claims he must support the TTRA, for… what in heaven’s could a back-bencher possibly do?

A leader speaks up! That’s what. Oh, but perhaps Rowley’s silence on the TTRA matter reveals that Mr Elias is showing his tacit support for the TTRA. Elias is keeping his attack dog quiet on the matter. (Note to self: find out what Elias has to gain from new TTRA!)

At least during Carnival we will get a break from Rowley’s near constant bickering and complaining. Maybe a few of whining will do him some good, and remind him that a public servant’s duty is to act – and act in the interest of all – not just for his and his associates’ interests.

Thank You Ria Taitt For Even More Irresponsible and Biased Journalism!

Cartel Watch just can’t be holding de tongue any longer. Something is going on with Ria Taitt of The Express, and it is worth giving a second look into.

You read, you read and you read Taitt’s political coverage, and over time you start to notice a pattern. In fact we’ve analyzed over 100 articles Taitt has written over the last few months. She clearly has an unrelenting reliance on Dr. Keith Rowley as a source and an inspiration for her stories. Wonder what is in it for Dr. Rowley?

Others have noticed that she even appears to have, shall we say… “special access” which is denied to the rest of our beloved press corps.

The Newsday has a story titled "PNM silent on Eric", with this sentence: 'Health Minister Jerry Narace, who is also PNM public relations officer, said the party does not comment on matters which are before the court or decisions of the court.

But when one searches, Ria Taitt of the Express has a story titled "...Happiness in PNM camp at decision". She has lengthy interviews with Dr Keith Rowley, party vice-chairman John Donaldson, and former MP Larry Achong.Thanks, Media Watch

We have done we research, and, yes, Ria will occasionally balance herself by penning a less-than-rosy piece about Dr Rowley, but these articles are very few, far between and rarely scratch the surface on such real truths. The evidence of her special access and apparently “special” relationship with Rowley is enough to raise we eyebrows and enough to wonder why? What an embarrassment for the journalists of sweet T&T. We must have a responsible and trustworthy “fourth estate” if we are to hold de government, the parliament, the private sector accountable. Do you trust Ria Taitt? We wonder what motives she has and why the Editors at The Express have disciplined her and held her to accountable journalistic standards? Perhaps we should keep our Cartel Watch eyes open for any “special” meetings with Dr Rowley and Andre Bagoo for the real truths!

Stay tuned for more on Ria Taitt and Andre Bagoo’s sensational journalism soon.

What ya been hearin round town, Carl Khan? How much you been paid.

It’s funny what one overhears when one listens carefully these days. A lot of buzz about Carnival. Of course. A little talk about Haiti, UNC elections and de UDeCOTT. But the most interesting chatter of all floated my way over a nice little piece of fish near Freeport: Carl Khan, the humble chicken farmer, doesn’t testify for free. [Put down fork and perk up, Cartel Watcher!] I couldn’t believe my ears until the details started flooding in from this loud and conspicuous chatterbox.

Mr Khan, the humble chicken farmer and Sherrine Hart’s ex-husband, hasn’t quite got over lost love. Mr. Elias, kingpin, hasn’t quite got over billions in lost contracts. And there was Dr Keith Rowley, so faithfully, who hasn’t quite got over his fall from power. What a powerful alliance they’ve formed against de Government. What an influential pact they’ve signed to build themselves up and tear their enemies down. It’s a shame that Carl Khan, the humble chicken farmer, appears to have become a well-paid puppet in all this activity. Hell hath no fury like a chicken farmer scorned, they say!

Minding my own and enjoying my fish, I’m treated to a university-level course in scandal about Elias, Khan and Rowley. This Cartel Watcher may start taking lunch in Diego Martin in order to pick up more news on Rowley and his pals. Maybe we'll find out just how much Carl Khan is paid for such blatant disregard for the truth. We will keep our ears listening, and let’s hope we don’t end up like Ganga Singh!

Are Bagoo, Gopeesingh, Elias and Rowley in Cahoots?

Disgraced reporter Andre Bagoo, a supposed “newsman” for Trinidad and Tobago’s Newsday newspaper, has been at it for months and Cartel Watch wants to know if outside interests are paying him?

He’s been doing is level-best to throw the fuel of public scorn on to the sacrificial fires that Dr. Rowley, Emile Elias, and recently the UNC is building around Udecott and Calder Hart.

It is clear that Bagoo’s partners in this sinister endeavor are Dr. Rowley, Emile Elias and now more recently MP Gopeesingh. Dr. Gopeesingh who seems to be politically motivated for personal gain and now who claims to be the primary source of inside information for all things Udecott.

A simple fact search reveals Bagoo's record of wreckless and irresponsible journalism. In just the last three months, Bagoo has been pounding the pan against Udecott, mostly promoting Dr. Rowley, Emile Elias and now recently all-too-often Dr. Gopeesingh.

Oh, it got bad enough for Bagoo to receive the first-ever recommendation of banishment from Parliament. Can you imagine considering yourself fit for the profession of journalism after being caught circumventing the Justice system? Can you imagine showing your face in the newsroom after such a humiliating slap?

But fear not, Bagoo!
Dr. Gopeesingh sat on the committee to investigate your crimes! Dear Dr. Gopeesingh won’t let his precious media mouthpiece and the mouthpiece of Dr. Rowley and Emile Elias be tossed into the flames.

Let’s watch Bagoo carefully and see what more tricks he, Dr. Rowley, Emile Elias and Gopeesingh will try as the tainted Commission of Inquiry trudges on.

Doesn’t anyone see the blatant links between Emile Elias, Dr. Rowley and Mr. Sirju?

One doesn’t need to look too far to see the blatantly corrupt Cartel-like operation run at the helm by two individuals, Emile Elias and Dr. Rowley. While Dr. Rowley steers the main political rudder of the operation, Mr. Elias continues to both finance and act as a bullying third party – mostly for his own selfish financial gain and the gain of NHIC – his most prized company.

One such connection we would like to point out is the apparent link between Emile Elias and Kenneth Sirju. Yes, the Kenneth Sirju that is in fact a member of the Uff Commission. Apparently there is more of a connection here than meets the eye. In fact even more of a connection than the media is willing to report and the courts are willing to accept. To be precise Mr. Sirju, a partner in the engineering consultancy firm KS&P, has a strong relationship with NHIC – Mr. Elias’s primary company. This relationship is so strong that Mr. Sirju’s company subcontracts on several of NHIC’s projects. Sirju’s company also performed design services for NHIC at the Cleaver Heights development, one of the projects being examined by the Commission and Sirju was personally involved in modifying the designs relating to the retaining walls for the Cleaver Heights project.

One might just wonder, why Mr. Sirju wouldn’t disclose such a relationship during the recent Commission to Inquiry. Perhaps Mr. Sirju and Mr. Elias were trying to influence the Uff Commission…. Could they have been conspiring together to tamper with the outcome of the Commission? What was Mr. Rowley’ stake? What was Mr. Sirju, Dr. Rowley and Mr. Elias trying to cover up regarding Cleaver Heights and their true interest in these matters? We want to know and we demand an investigation to find answers now.

What is the point?

While labor unions have an obligation to their members and companies must inevitably seek profits, the government should only be concerned with the execution of the best possible policy. While there has been much controversy and debate in recent years about the awarding of government contracts often times the debate is misguided. Yes there are concerns over source of labor and the competency of one contractor over another. These are serious questions that deserve honest answers. However, it is important to keep in mind the mission of UDeCOTT. Their purpose is to further the interests of all citizens of TT. The development contracts that they award inevitably benefit us all. They have no obligation to one group of citizens over another, no labor organization over another, no contractor over another. Their obligation is to the people of TT and their common, long-term goals. UDeCOTT is completely funded by tax dollars. These dollars must be spent in a manner that is most responsible and effective. Indeed, a few citizens greedy interest’s may not be served in the awarding of these contracts. However, if the contracts are awarded to the company that is most likely to deliver a high quality product, all citizens benefit in the long run. As the debate continues to rage over these issues let us keep in mind the ultimate development goals at stake and not get caught up in the short-term interests of parties with no real obligation to best serve the people of TT.

Rowley Seeking of Vengeance Over Contracts Misguided

As the New Year begins, Rowley is back to his typical antics by alleging impropriety on the part of the Housing Development Corporation and its leaders. Rowley, in typical fashion, failed to provide any actual evidence to back up his claims and when called on it by Government Ministers– had a no comment response. However, his actions are not surprising. Rowley may face a tough few weeks ahead as business resumes in Port of Spain. As you may recall, he used similar tactics back in December during the investigation of his involvement with the Cleaver Heights scandal.

As an elected official Dr. Rowley has a duty to his constituents and the greater community of Trinidad and Tobago. Time and time again he chooses grandstanding and misguided accusations to throw the attention on his political opponents. For him, this is preferable to having the media turn its attention to his highly questionable past. However, his behavior is not productive and it does not serve his constituents or the country’s best interest well.

Rowley’s Special Interest Tactics Backfiring

Rowley received much attention over his opposition to the recent property tax legislation that passed just before the new year. While even he must have known this would be a bold move, I doubt he calculated just how juvenile it was. His grandiose public display of opposition to the tax was a typical addition to his ongoing sideshow.

Rowley has substantial legislative power he could have used to amend or stop this bill had he chosen to do so. Instead he chose to use a serious issue as a political pawn, and in the face of his own party no less. The property tax was a major initiative for PNM and Rowley was every bit as part of its passing as the other representatives.

Rowley’s high-flying rhetoric do nothing to further the causes of his party, his legislature, his constituents, or his country. Diego West deserves a serious MP and not a completely self-interested actor who is forced into such behavior in order to keep the spotlight away from rumors and allegations about his own actions. Instilling fear into the people of Trinidad is far from the duty he has to serve them.

Keith Rowley, when are you going to represent the true interests of the people of Trinidad, rather than your own personal political and financial interests of yourself and your close friends like Emile Elias?