Manning on Port of Spain attacks: Fear no evil!

FOLLOWING a spate of violent attacks in the capital city earlier this week, San Fernando East MP Brian Manning is telling the country to fear no evil.

Manning, who is also Minister in the Ministry of Finance, quoted his late father, Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s use of the Psalms to soothe the nation.

“As my late father would say, ‘Yea, though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we shall fear no evil.’

"That would be his advice and that would be my advice to you.”

From the People’s National Movement (PNM) virtual platform streamed live from City Auditorium, San Fernando, on Tuesday night, Manning noted the week of turmoil, not only of the violent nature but of a constitutional nature.

On Thursday, the Electoral College will meet to decide on the fate of President Paula-Mae Weekes. This follows a motion to impeach her brought by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar based on the circumstances surrounding the appointment of a new commissioner of police, and the collapse of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

“This week, there have been attempts at volatility and turmoil, deliberate attempts by those with bad intention to destabilise us.

“Today, my dear friends, I call upon you to fear no evil. This week we have seen clearly the evidence that there are people who want to make our country ungovernable."

He asked, “Can you imagine some mastermind decided to put firecrackers in a card board box in a parking garage near the Attorney General’s office?

“Someone like that is trying to disrupt this country and is unsuitable and unfit for leadership. If they cannot control, they would seek to destroy. That is what they do. For them to win the country must lose.”

Manning said he has a vision for San Fernando to become the economic and cultural capital of TT and for a country where archaic politics of race is not allowed to cause divisiveness.

“I see a place where we stand together on principle, not on colour,” he said, pointing out that his family was representative of every colour under the rainbow.

He said his vision was for a country that stood united, in the face of all adversity.

“We shall not be moved by those who seek to cause chaos in our country.”

Endorsing Manning’s comments, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan defended himself from racist rants in the past weeks.

“I want to warn TT to be careful,” he said recalling a recent video on social media showing an Opposition MP “encouraging the burning of tyres.”

“What is amazing (is that) it was done in the full view of members of the police service. I am worried about that.”

He recalled how he was chastised for stating the exorbitant cost of damages done to the Moruga roadway by fires lit on its surfaces, while advancing charges be laid against those culpable.

“I got a lot of stick for that because they say because it is people from Barrackpore. I had people sending me text messages, how I could do my people that.

“I find that was unfortunate,” he said, pointing out that similar sentiments were expressed when in St Joseph, in the East/West Corridor, dirt was stolen from the river bank and in a separate incident, three pumps which cost the Ministry $250,000 to repair occurred, were burnt.

“So why it is, if I make a statement on people damaging the Government Road in Barrackpore, it turns into a racist statement?” he asked.

“That should not be. Let us be careful of the people we are listening to, because TT, the world is going through a crisis.

“Everybody is a little bit on edge and, as MP’s, as legislators, we have to be much more responsible in our actions.”