He and his former
wife, Cassandra Mills, were given diplomatic passports, after Boldon
was made Sports Ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago in 2001, under
the Panday Administration.
Boldon was also a beneficiary of $1 million from the UNC Government
for his achievements in the 2000 Olympics.
Former Sports Minister Manohar Ramsaran handed the cheque to him.
The money was given to him after certain UNC MPs objected to an
offer made by Panday to purchase a million-dollar high-rise apartment
for him in Bayshore.
But UNC deputy political leader, Jack Warner, who fired the “gun”
to get Boldon out of the starting “blocks,” has overruled
the “objection” saying it was a perfect “start”
and his American Green Card does not prevent the track and field
sprinter from serving in the Senate.
Legal experts in the UNC are looking at the Constitution to determine
whether Boldon’s immigration status allows him to serve in
the Senate.
Speaking from Switzerland to the TnT Mirror on Wednesday, Warner
admitted that Boldon has residential status in the United States
but denied that he has dual citizenship.
“Boldon has a Trinidad and Tobago passport and do not hold
dual citizenship,” he said.
“This is not like the case of Gypsy (Winston Peters) and Bill
Chaitain, who were challenged when they were elected to Parliament,”
Warner explained.
Gypsy and Chaitain were accused of contesting the 2000 general elections
while holding dual citizenship. Warner also denied that a deal was
struck with Boldon in Bahrain when they met during last November’s
World Cup qualifying match between the Soca Warriors and Bahrain,
which TnT won to advance to this year’s finals in Germany
-- a historic first for this country.
Rumours have been circulating that Boldon was offered a similar
deal like when Warner brought in Gypsy to contest a seat under a
UNC banner in the 2000 general elections.
Warner said 32-year-old Boldon was brought in to speak on behalf
of young people in the Senate.
“He will try and encourage them to get out of a life of crime
and advise them to get involved in sporting activities,” he
said.
Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday said that “Boldon was not
asked to join the UNC and he does not have to toe the party line.
“The young people would have someone to look up to. All we
ask of him is to reach out to the youths and try to sway them away
from anti-social behaviour, which is a major problem that the government
is ignoring,” Panday added.
UNC political leader Winston Dookeran, who claimed he was not consulted
on the appointment, described Boldon as an outstanding man who is
a very good role model for this country.
“He is a good addition to the public life of this country,”
he added.
Commenting on his appointment, Boldon said: “The UNC is not
my agenda, neither is the PNM. The youth and sport in this country
are,” he told reporters.
He said he did not expect his new job to be easy but he was prepared
to accept the challenges.
His father, Guy, who said he is still in shock over his son’s
new political job made the scathing comments that Boldon was “running
with a pack of liars and thieves”.
However, he said he will lend support to Boldon to whatever decisions
he makes in his life.
“After all, he is his own man,” Guy added. |
