(Trinidad Express) Patrick Manning has been found guilty of contempt of Parliament by the Privileges Committee.
And the House of Representatives meets tomorrow to discuss the report and to determine what penalties should be imposed against him in view of the Committee’s findings.
Manning could be suspended, or reprimanded or made to apologise or he could even be expelled (though this was never happened). The Government controls 29 seats in the 41-member Parliament.
Manning was sent to the Privileges Committee following allegations he made in relation to the acquisition of funding for the construction of the private residence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. He had accused her Government of carrying out the agenda of those who financed them in the election campaign, those “who were involved in the drug trade.“
Charging that Government was undermining the anti-drug effort put in place by the PNM, he had said “Kamla’s Palace” cost $150 million and asked: “To what conclusion do you expect us to come? They were struggling to build that house before the election.“ The Committee, which tabled its report yesterday, stated that despite having invited Manning to appear before it to answer the allegations against him and to be heard on numerous occasions, “the Member has refused to respond to the allegations before the Committee and has requested adjournments of the Committee’s proceedings for a variety of reasons.“
Manning either did not show up or attended and requested adjournments when invited to attend meetings held on January 21, January 31, February 11, February 18, February 25, April 15, April 26, May 3, May 10 and May 11 .
The Committee said it exercised “tremendous patience and forbearance” in accommodating the Member for San Fernando East and his multiple requests for adjournments of the Committee’s proceedings with respect to this matter.
It said it believed that it had done everything in its power to ensure that he was fully apprised of the allegations made against him and to give him an opportunity to be heard.
