The People’s National Movement (PNM) executive is going full steam ahead on San Fernando East. With the executive preparing to seek nominations from San Fernando East by December 22, the unit is going ahead with the exercise and not taking on San Fernando East MP Patrick Manning’s recent suggestion to have nominations from January 3 to 15 after he decides if he’ll contest or not.
Manning’s suggestion came in another letter which he wrote PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley last Friday after Rowley again blanked his request to meet on the matter in Parliament. The nomination issue is simmering between both—and is expected to come to head shortly —following cancellation of a meeting two Mondays ago which Manning had hoped to have with Rowley on the issue. Rowley left T&T that day.
Manning had said Rowley had spoken to him in Parliament on November 7 on the nomination issue, since Rowley believed general elections would be held by year end. After that meeting failed to come off, Manning signalled he may be open to contesting, health allowing—but himself blanked the PNM executive’s invitation to meet at Balisier House last Wednesday on the issue.
It was confirmed by officials that the executive had wanted to speak with him to “gently dissuade him from the rigours involved” in a general election campaign. Manning, in a subsequent December 3 letter, sought a meeting with Rowley at Parliament last Friday “for five minutes” to make a suggestion on the issue. But Rowley didn’t meet with Manning as requested.
In the subsequent “round” that day, Manning wrote Rowley conceding he’d said that if his health allowed and if it were the will of the constituency, he would be prepared to consider a nomination after consideration of all other pertinent factors. But Manning stressed, “It is not, and ought not to be interpreted, that I have made any decision to make myself available to contest.”
Manning also informed Rowley he intended to address the constituency on January 2 to advise members of his decision to accept or decline a nomination. Manning also told Rowley that nominations “can follow during the period January 3rd, 2015 to January 15th and the screening exercise may take place immediately thereafter, at the convenience of the leadership of the Movement (PNM).”
Executive decision
Last week San Fernando East PRO Anthony Clarke said the unit had sought an extension of the nomination deadline and was awaiting word on that. PNM general secretary Ashton Ford was quoted yesterday as saying nominations had to be sent to him and it was also reported nominations for the constituency was extended to December 22.
Yesterday, PNM PRO Faris Al Rawi said he couldn’t say if the executive would consider Manning’s suggestions, including for January nomination. He said Ford was in charge of those issues. Ford said he couldn’t comment on whether the executive would accept Manning’s suggestions and the San Fernando East issue was in Rowley’s hands and would be addressed shortly.
Manning had no comment on the December 22 deadline. Sources close to him said he’d respond “at the appropriate time and he’ll see how the situation goes.”
Analysts: Power struggle
On the stand-off between the past and present PNM leaders, political analyst Dr Bishnu Ragoonath yesterday said, “I think Dr Rowley has decided he will not take on Mr Manning and it’s simply now a matter of a showdown with Rowley trying to show that he’s boss of the party.
“If he allows Manning to get away with this, it will seem like Rowley is still walking in Manning’s shadow and I don’t think he wants that. So Rowley has to put a stop to all this and this is the way—not taking Manning on—is how he’ll do it.”
Ragoonath added, “As for repercussions on PNM, the party can withstand it at this point. It will be a matter of where they go with it and how fast they go at it and it’s a matter of determining whether Manning will call on his supporters and create any mischief in the party.
“But I think Manning will ultimately have to give in, giving the PNM a chance to succeed.” Political analyst Derek Ramsamooj said, “It’s clearly evident the political cat and mouse game is being played out. But the San Fernando East issue isn’t one of candidacy but of leadership. “Each would wish to lead uninhibited without any political shadows lurking in the background. We cannot ignore the fact that the political history between these two gentlemen would determine their behaviours towards each other.”