Dear Editor: Congrats to Jack Warner—but what does his extradition success mean for T&T?

“[…] On 23 September, Justice Karen Reid ruled that the extradition process against him was flawed and has permanently stopped it.

“This outcome raises troubling questions. Does justice in our country depend on access to resources and influence? What role will Warner now be given under our new Prime Minister?

“Could he sue the government for taking so long to address these issues? […]”

The following Letter to the Editor on former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner’s successful overturn of a US extradition request was submitted to Wired868 by Dennise Demming, MSc, MBA, wellness therapist, communications coach and speaker:

I am not surprised that former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner is now free and cannot be extradited to the United States. On 23 September, Justice Karen Reid ruled that the extradition process against him was flawed and has permanently stopped it.

This outcome raises troubling questions. Does justice in our country depend on access to resources and influence? What role will Warner now be given under our new Prime Minister?

Could he sue the government for taking so long to address these issues?

He was one of 14 officials charged in the 2015 US Fifa corruption scandal. Unlike many of his co-accused—who pleaded guilty, were jailed, or banned from football—he managed to resist extradition for more than a decade.

In his role at Fifa, Warner was indicted in the United States on 12 charges, including racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery. These charges stemmed from allegations that he sought or accepted millions in bribes and kickbacks related to Fifa’s media and marketing rights.

Several other Fifa members went to jail and served their time on similar charges. While these matters were before the courts, Warner did not travel internationally for at least 10 years, given the outstanding indictment.

Will he be travelling again soon?

As a nation, we cannot just call this case closed and move on. Our extradition laws must be strengthened, transparency from the Attorney General’s office and the courts must be demanded, and our national reputation must be protected.

If we fail to act, we send the message that privilege wins over principle—and that is a dangerous legacy to leave behind.

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Dennise Demming

Dennise Demming grew up in East Dry River, Port of Spain and has more than 30 years experience as a communication strategist, political commentator and event planner. She has 15 years experience lecturing business communications at UWI and is the co-licensee for TEDxPortofSpain. Dennise is a member of the HOPE political party.