Warner paid house rent for Kamla in 2010

The article published in the Sunshine newspaper reveals a house was provided for Persad-Bissessar and her sister Vidwatee Newton at 10 Brunton Main Road, St Augustine while she was Opposition Leader in 2010.

The property was leased because Persad-Bissessar complained of being too tired from having to travel from her home in south Trinidad to join Warner, who was the UNC chairman at the time, in the election campaign along the East/West corridor in which the People’s Partnership delegation made whistle stops from Sangre Grande to Port-of-Spain.

The article noted that the house was outfitted with cable television and groceries were delivered which was all paid for by Warner, who was also a FIFA vice president then.

The article had copies of two First Citizens cheques showing payments made to brokers, one valued at $36, 540 and the other $15, 270 totalling, $51, 810. This covered leasing the house but excluded cable, groceries, two large water tanks and SWAT security.

The article noted that the property was leased for three months from Your Move Real Estate Limited and the residential tenancy agreement was between Derek Drayton and Warner’s company, Jamad Limited of 113 Edwards Street, Port-of-Spain.

The article is the second one in the last two weeks showing payments Warner had made towards the UNC. Last week, Warner shared copies of five cheques totalling $1,719, 215.75 which were paid to Ross Advertising by Jamad Limited.

Warner had promised to reveal information to show that he did finance the party during UNC’s election campaign, in response to Persad-Bissessar’s claim that he did not. In an address to the nation on Wednesday last, Warner said he will prove there was a link between FIFA funding and the 2010 general election.

The article added that following the election, Persad-Bissessar left the house and went to live with Ralph and Maureen Gopaul in Tunapuna on assuming office as Prime Minister.

Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley had complained to the Integrity Commission that the Prime Minister’s stay with the Gopauls was a breach of the Integrity in Public Life Act however, the Commission in 2011 cleared the Prime Minister stating that it was not a breach.

A controversy also arose when the Gopauls’ family business received a $40 million contract with National Petroleum which was subsequently withdrawn.

UNC Oropouche West MP Stacy Roopnarine, once a well-praised assistant minister by Warner when she worked alongside him at the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure of which he was the line minister, yesterday dismissed his allegations against the UNC saying she was confident the population would not be deceived by him.

“I don’t believe that his allegations will sway the population,” she told reporters after she gave out sport equipment to schools in her constituency. “The Government has done a lot of work and is continuing to do a lot of work so there is much to be proud of.”

Roopnarine also pointed out that the law had to “take its course” after Warner was indicted by the United States for eight offences related to racketeering, corruption and money laundering during his tenure at FIFA. Warner is currently on $2.5 million bail after being arrested on May 27 on a provisional warrant issued by the US Attorney General.