Patrick Manning

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Patrick Manning
4th & 6th Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
Incumbent
Assumed office  December 17, 1991 - November 9, 1995 December 24, 2001 - present
Preceded by	A. N. R. Robinson (1991) Basdeo Panday (2001)
Succeeded by	Basdeo Panday (1995) Incumbent
Born	August 17, 1946 San Fernando
Political party	People's National Movement
Spouse	Hazel Manning
Religion	Anglican

Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning (born August 17, 1946) is the current Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Trinidad and Tobago and Political Leader of the People's National Movement (PNM). He served as Prime Minister between 17 December 1991 to 9 November 1995 and since 24 December 2001, as Leader of the Opposition from 1986 to 1990 and from 1995 to 2001. He has been the Political Leader of the PNM since 1987. A geologist by training, Manning has served as Member of Parliament for the San Fernando East constituency since 1971 and is currently the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives.^[1]

Manning received his secondary education at Presentation College, San Fernando Bachelor's Degree from the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica in 1969. After graduation he returned to Trinidad where he worked as a geologist for Texaco. He entered Parliament in 1971 representing the San Fernando East constituency.^[1]

Contents 1 Life 1.1 Early career 1.2 Second term as Prime Minister 2 References 3 See also

[edit] Life

[edit] Early career

After graduating from the University of the West Indies, Manning worked as a geologist with Texaco Trinidad Ltd., until he ran for Parliament in 1971. Between 1971 and 1978 he served as Parliamentary Secretary in various Ministries before being appointed junior Minister in the Ministry of Finance. In 1979 he was given the additional position of junior Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister. In 1981 he was given a full Cabinet position of Minister of Information and Minister of Industry and Commerce. Between 1981 and 1986 he served as Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.^[1]

The 1986 General Elections the ruling PNM suffered an almost total defeat. Only three candidates won their seats; the Prime Minister, George Chambers was among the losing candidates. As one of the three successful PNM candidates, Manning was appointed Leader of the Opposition. In 1987 he was elected Political Leader of the PNM. A split in the ruling National Alliance for Reconstruction in 1988 left the PNM as the minority Opposition party, and in 1990 Basdeo Panday requested that he be appointed Leader of the Opposition.^[2].

[edit] Second term as Prime Minister

In 1995 Mr. Manning called a General Election one full year before it was Constitutionally due. The PNM was defeated in this election, and Basdeo Panday became Prime Minister. Mr. Manning served as Leader of the Opposition once again, also losing the 2000 elections. The 2001 elections ended in a tie, with both the Opposition PNM and the governing United National Congress winning 18 seats. A. N. R. Robinson appointed Manning Prime Minister. Unable to elect a Speaker of the House of Representatives, Manning proceeded to rule without Parliament until the need to pass a Budget forced him to call elections in October 2002. His party won this election 20 to 16 and formed the new government.

Under the PNM Trinidad and Tobago had substantially reduced income taxes and re-instituted free university education. The economy is currently booming due to high natural gas and oil prices. However, violent crimes such as murders, rapes and kidnappings, took a sharp rise under the PNM. There are also two members of his political party, that are sitting Members of Parliament, who are currently on corruption charges, and a senior member of his cabinet who is being investigated by the Integrity Commission for alleged corruption.

In the final year of his 2002-2007 term as Prime Minister, Manning's popularity among Trinidadians has declined due mostly to the currently high levels of violent crimes and the allegations of corruption that have been surfacing in recent times. It is still believed that he commands the popular vote as the opposition was recently split with the formation of a new political entity in the Congress Of the People.

Although the Prime Minister has stated that crime prevention is a top priority, there has been little or no evidence of this in Trinidad and Tobago's crime statistics. The same goes for inflation as there has only been a minor decrease in the rate of inflation considering it had been climbing steadily over the past five years, reaching its peak of 10% in late 2006.

Though met with much protest from the residents at one of the proposed aluminium smelter sites, the Prime Minister still plans to build at least three aluminium smelter plants in the south western peninsula of Trinidad under the guise of industrialisation. He has accused protesters, who seek to protect the very delicate ecological landscape of the south western peninsula, of being opposed to his Government's plans of industrialisation. Another major concern of the citizenry, with respect to the aluminium smelters, is the sale of Trinidad's natural gas to the smelter companies, at prices far lower than what is acceptable on the world markets.

Prime Minister Manning had been implicated in the move to prosecute Trinidad and Tobago's Chief Justice, Satnarine Sharma for allegedly trying to pervert the course of justice. This move was seen as political interference and as an attack on the Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago. The ensuing case fell apart when the main accuser, Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicholls, refused to testify in court. This move was seen as both a mockery of the Justice System and as collusion with Prime Minister Patrick Manning, who has now moved to appoint a tribunal to investigate the Chief Justice.

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Biographical Summary of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, from NALIS, the National Library and Information Service of Trinidad and Tobago
2. ^ Meighoo, Kirk (2003). Politics in a Half Made Society: Trinidad and Tobago, 1925-2002. Ian Randle Publishers, Kingston, Jamaica. ISBN 976-637-079-6. 

[edit] See also

• List of national leaders

Preceded by A.N.R. Robinson	Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago 1991–1995	Succeeded by Basdeo Panday
Preceded by Basdeo Panday	Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago 2001–present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Basdeo Panday	Leader of the Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago 1986–1989	Succeeded by Basdeo Panday
Preceded by Basdeo Panday	Leader of the Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago 1995–2001	Succeeded by Basdeo Panday

Prime Ministers of Trinidad and Tobago
Eric Williams • George Chambers • A. N. R. Robinson • Patrick Manning • Basdeo Panday • Patrick Manning