Deja vu for Hazel Manning as son files nomination

FOR Hazel Manning, widow of prime minister Patrick Manning, Nomination Day 2020 brought nostalgia and a feeling of déjà vu.

For four decades, Mrs Manning walked the route with her late husband as he religiously filed his nomination papers to contest general elections.

On Friday she took a similar walk, only this time the man on her left was one of her two sons, Brian, who has chosen to walk in his father’s footsteps. He is the candidate for the constituency of San Fernando East, under the People’s National Movement (PNM) banner.

Accompanied by Kaisoca Moko Jumbies all dressed in red, the party’s colour, the Mannings led supporters and team members in a march from Pleasantville Plaza to the Pleasantville Secondary School, where Brian presented his documents to the returning officer.

That process lasted for a few minutes and Manning the candidate said it was smooth sailing.

His mother, a former education minister in her husband’s administration, said she was very proud to be part of the exercise.

She agreed it brought a feeling of deja vu.“But in a different way.

“Before, it was a husband support. This time it is (in) a son’s support. So it’s different. Maybe a little too much motherly love. So I try to keep the distance because of that.”

She expressed pride in the route her son has taken.

“I think he is doing very well. I am very proud of what he has been doing and how he is doing it.”

She said unlike some other candidates and parties, “He is not into confusion. He stood above it. He looks at the big picture.

"His vision is different, his approach is different, and I think the people of San Fernando East will appreciate him once they get to know him and work with him.

“He is a good guy,” she said, to sustained applause from supporters.

Brian Manning thanked his campaign team, councillors and constituents for their contribution and assistance so far.

“This is a historic occasion and I am extremely grateful and humbled and inspired by the responsibility you have placed on my shoulders."

He said he has been walking in every part of the constituency and had encountered recurring issues of youth unemployment and aging infrastructure.

He said he is hoping to deal with these issues in a timely manner and also push for local government reform to help address the problems.

While confident of a victory and of continuing the Manning tradition, he said, “It is not just about winning an election, it’s about proper representation.”

He said the only way he can be a proper representative is by getting to know and understand his constituents and what they need, and then do his job,

Also filing nomination papers on Friday was Monifa Russell Andrews for the United National Congress (UNC).