PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Foreign journalists seeking to interview Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner were pushed and shoved by his personal security yesterday.

The jostling took place as Warner made his way from Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, to his car during the lunch break of yesterday’s sitting of the House of Representatives.

Warner had first declined written requests from the Trinidad and Tobago media and the foreign media for an interview.

His response to the note sent by the local media was very polite. “Regretfully I have put a halt to all media interviews and I do thank you for your understanding.” His response to the note sent by the foreign media was more cryptic. “Regretfully, no,” it said.

As the sitting was suspended for the lunch break and Warner was making his way out of the chamber, a journalist, from Al Jazeera, New York office, approached him. “This is the Parliament! Let me leave Parliament, please! I don’t do that in your country. Don’t do it in mine!” Warner barked.

Warner was flanked by his personal security as well as Parliament policemen. It was an unusual sight since Warner is not used to having security. He recently expressed fears for his life, however.

Journalists, both foreign and local, headed outside of the Parliament building to wait for Warner. But things got even testier when Warner reached the pavement and all the foreign and local journalists gathered around him.

“Mr Warner, could you tell us what happened to that $10 million?,” the Sky News reporter David Bowden asked. “Move, sir!” said Warner’s security man, pushing the journalist out of the way.

“Mr Warner, what do you have on Sepp Blatter, sir?” the AFP reporter asked. “No comment,” said one of Warner’s security guards. “Could you tell us what happened to the $10 million?” Bowden repeated. “No comment!” was the brusque response of Warner security man. Warner maintained a stoic silence throughout.

“Why no comments?” one foreign journalist asked.

“Why won’t you explain to people what’s going on?” the Sky News reporter chimed in. “No comment!” was the refrain, followed by another push. “What do you have against Blatter, sir?” the journalist asked. “Excuse me? No comment,” shouted Warner’s security. He shoved Bowden again.

“Why won’t you tell the world?” the journalist persisted.

“Excuse me, no comment,” the security said. The push was so hard this time that the Bowden almost lost his balance.

“Would you stop pushing me? What gives you the right to assault me?” the Sky News journalist asked the security man. “I simply wanted to know what you have against Sepp Blatter,” he (Bowden) persisted. “Nuttin, nuttin, nuttin, nuttin, no comment,” said the angry guard, putting his hand in front of one of the cameras. “Don’t touch my camera,” the AFP reporter warned. “No problem, move! No comment”. “Are you speaking for him?” the reporter asked. “I speaking!” the security man shot back.

Bowden at one point turned the Parliament policeman, asking: “Officer, are you going to stop this man assaulting me?”

“What do you have against Sepp Blatter,? an undaunted Bowden asked. “Mr Warner, as a parliamentarian, do you think it is right to have your associate (security) assaulting me…” Bowden began but Warner by this time was inside his SUV.

“Mr Warner, if you have nothing to hide, why won’t you talk to me?” the Sky News reporter asked. But at this point, Warner’s car was already in motion.

Bowden later remarked that this was part of the “rock and roll” of the journalist’s job.

Warner’s fate as one of Interpol’s most wanted men and one of the former FIFA officials facing corruption, money laundering and racketeering charges, has attracted the attention of journalists from all over the world, who have flocked to Trinidad and Tobago.

After the sitting resumed, Warner returned to the chamber and contributed to the debate on the Appropriation bill.

TRINIDAD EXPRESS