Mandela visit a success

CONCACAF president Jack Warner yesterday admitted that were it not for the Government’s assistance, former South African president Nelson Mandela’s two-day visit to Trinidad and Tobago would not have been the success that it was. Speaking with reporters after a luncheon at the Hilton Trinidad to honour Mandela, Warner said,  “I have learnt that if I did not have the Government’s assistance I would have been a hopeless case at the security. I would have learnt that this event was far too big for me and my organisation. While I may have contacts, I have learnt that I should have done it differently but I was ignorant and I would of course say that I would not know what to do.”

Last week, differences between Government and CONCACAF over the protocols threatened to derail Mandela’s visit. Warner disclosed that when he invited Mandela last week to visit TT, he was speechless when Mandela accepted the invitation. “I did not even know he was serious because I thought this is the last time he would be allowed to leave his country. He has been debarred from leaving his country by his government and his people because of his health and he said he wanted to fulfil a request of mine and for me, I was speechless. So I rushed across to Mr Gift and said what to do and he said to me, when you get the letter, we shall help you. “In retrospect, I think the Government did come on board. I don’t care whether it is Mr Manning or Mr Panday. “I care that we gave an impression today to the world that as a small country of 1.3 million we are as good as and in some ways, better than many countries at organising events of this nature,” he said.

Asked if the joint efforts of Government and CONCACAF had made Mandela’s visit a successful one, Warner replied, “Absolutely!” Saying that full details will be outlined in a letter to Prime Minister Patrick Manning before he (Warner) leaves for Malaysia on Tuesday, Warner said he told the Prime Minister that “without you, this thing could not have been what it was.” Warner also said he was not criticising Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday or the UNC for not sending representatives to Piarco International Airport to greet Mandela on Thursday. He said he was only stressing that Mandela’s visit “would have been one to demonstrate some healing.” During the luncheon, Panday and Warner embraced each other and were seen chatting cordially.

Warner regretted not being able to host the luncheon at the Country Club in Maraval, but said he realised that it was best held elsewhere given the sentiments of certain sections of the society. Asked if he felt that the country would return to divisiveness when Mandela leaves today, Warner replied: “If we have to learn a lesson from his visit we would be losers.” A meeting between Panday and Mandela at the Hilton was postponed to a dinner at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya later in the day.