(Trinidad Guardian) St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves says tears flowed from his eyes when he read Manning: Faith & Vision, the biography of close friend, the late prime minister Patrick Manning, written by historian Prof Bridget Brereton.
Speaking during the book’s launching at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port-of-Spain, on Sunday, Gonsalves, who wrote the foreword, said Manning’s political career was one with a divine purpose.
Describing Manning as a “man of his people for his people, coming out of poverty, beating the odds, doing divine work with generosity,” Gonsalves said, “Patos went into politics at 24 at the height of black power and revolutionary outpouring. He was PNM to the bone and made to prevail. His vision was grounded in realism and pragmatism. He wanted to eradicate poverty and a colonial mindset in T&T and regionally.”
Patrick Manning served as T&T’s prime minister from 1991 to 1995 and 2001 to 2010. His political career spanned over four decades, making him the longest-serving MP in the nation’s history, representing San Fernando East from 1971 to 2015.
The biography covers Manning’s life from his early education at Presentation College, San Fernando, through his career as a geologist at Texaco, to his rise in the PNM, his battle with his health, to his death on July 2, 2016, from acute myeloid leukaemia.
On Manning’s political missteps, Gonsalves said, “Patrick called the 2010 elections amidst growing untruths and lies. Seeing himself as a servant of the people, committed to their welfare, he trusted the people would see through falsehoods, claims of his autocratic tendencies, but the people failed him and went for an opportunistic partnership based on quicksand.”
Gonzales called for a fitting memorial for a man he believes was among the most outstanding regional leaders. “It is fitting that in his homeland, there are memorials to Patrick Manning engraved in marble and stone, in columns and inscriptions, commemorating his life and work,” he said.
Prof Brereton revealed that when she was commissioned to write the book two years ago, Mrs Hazel Manning’s committee (headed by Maureen Manchouck) had completed much of the legwork. She said Hazel Manning handed her testimonials from 50 people who had known her husband at different stages, including colleagues, friends, opponents, and security personnel. Brereton also used Hansard papers, PNM records, transcripts of speeches, books, articles and interviews.
Brereton said while the biography does not overlook the late PM’s flaws, opposition members paid tribute to him, noting that while it was easy to disagree with him, it was impossible to dislike him.
Veteran calypsonian Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool, via song, reminded the audience of Manning’s transformation of Port-of-Spain with projects like the Waterfront Complex, including the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the International Financial Centre (IFC), NAPA, the Prime Minister’s Residence and Diplomatic Centre, the Ministry of Education Tower and the Ministry of Legal Affairs Tower, as well as the South Academy for the Performing Arts in San Fernando.
Earlier, Manning’s wife, Hazel, set the tone for the launch as host by inviting her guests to what she called a Sunday evening “lime with Patrick.” Her son Brian, who is now MP for San Fernando East, where his father served for all of his political career, later thanked guests for attending and said he will forever treat his father’s vision as a beacon of hope for this country.
