PATRICK Manning (1946-2016), former leader of the People’s National Movement (PNM) and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, died on Saturday, 2nd July, leaving a complex but rich legacy. He is recorded as the youngest and longest-serving Leader of the PNM, having succeeded George Chambers after the latter had lost his parliamentary seat in a national election, in which A.N.R Robinson emerged as Prime Minister (1986-1991).
The PNM acquired three seats in the 1986 elections, and among them was Manning, who retained the seat he represented.
It is instructive to note that in the 40-plus years that he served his constituency, he succeeded in increasing the popular vote in every election. He stands in contrast to many politicians, in whom confidence and popularity wane, and who would see their votes being reduced from time to time.
Manning functioned in a society not unlike ours, where race and politics intersect and divide; and it saw him at times in a position of having to comfort and deliver leadership to his support base.
When Basdeo Panday was elected Prime Minister (1995), Panday rode on the popular support of the Indian community, and it was perceived in political circles that to give his community assurances he would govern in their interest, he made his first overseas trip to India and visited the village from which his ancestors originated. This act of Panday’s gave comfort to the Indian community.
On Manning’s return to the prime-ministership of his country in the 2001 elections, having previously served from 1991 to 1995, he invited Nelson Mandela, a world-renowned African icon, to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to give a morale booster to the African community, the constituent from which he had garnered the majority of his support.
Manning was a tactician of no mean order. He was mindful of recognising and incorporating the influences in society in every step on his way in leadership.
In the PNM, as a political party, he built an institution, guided by technical communities in various areas, and utilised the technical competencies of consultants. There was a time in the PNM when he introduced a method of screening every candidate who would offer himself or herself for election, and this act brought him in conflict with various sections and individuals within his party.
He stood his ground, and the process was refined to the point where, today, every person who represents the party and offers him/herself for public office has to go through a rudiment of consultation and training. This was seen as prerequisite for preparing each individual to conduct him/herself in a manner befitting that of public office.
In the Caribbean integration process, when Venezuela established the PetroCaribe Fund and several of the Caribbean countries thought it fit to choose this fund in preference to buying fuel from Trinidad and Tobago, Manning sought ways that could unite, rather than fracture, the Region. He pursued the opportunity to bring the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) into a programme in which Trinidad and Tobago can produce the energy and supply each OECS country. This programme was dubbed the ‘Patrick Manning Initiative.’
In the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), as lead prime minister on the issue of regional security, while much progress was not made in reducing criminal activities across borders, he worked in CARICOM to ensure that structures were put in place to realise long-term benefits. One such benefit is the Regional Security System, where committing crimes within the Region can result in the person being brought to justice through cooperation among the countries.
This 37th Annual Conference of Heads of Government has taken the decision to activate the work done under Manning’s leadership. And it is hoped that this moves beyond mere commitment to that of actually seeing action, because this is what he was interested in, and it would be a befitting tribute to his contributions to the region, its peoples and their security.
As Manning is laid to rest in a state funeral today, his legacy is rich enough to see the country of his birth and the Caribbean Region grow from strength to strength.
