Warner hints at reconciliation

Concacaf president Jack Warner seemingly tried to smooth over relations with the Government in a speech hailing former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, at a dinner in Mandela’s honour. Concacaf and the Government often seemed caught in a tug-o-war over the hosting of the visit of the Nobel Peace Prize winner to TT to further his country’s bid to host the 2010 World Cup. But Warner seemed to hint at reconciliation at Friday’s dinner at the Centre of Excellence as he spoke in praise of Mandela.

Warner said: “I hope some useful lessons would have been learnt by all of us from his visit and his policy of reconciliation.” Leading all present in a toast to a better world, Warner effused: “President Mandela, thank you very much, thank you.” In his address, FIFA president Sepp Blatter, saluted Warner for his hard work supporting football in the world. Some 250 million people in the world played football, he said, and if you also count each of their families this number would total one billion people. “If we join hands around the world — one billion people — can’t we make a better world!” Former prison-mate of Mandela, Tokyo Sexwale, urged guests to shout out their support for South Africa’s bid to host the football World Cup in 2010.