A plot was allegedly set up within the People's National Movement (PNM) to ensure that former Prime Minister Patrick Manning was defeated in the 2010 general election and forcibly removed as political leader. Sunday Guardian has learnt that the plot was hatched in the bowels of the party, and orchestrated by several key high-ranking members and ground troops who purported to canvass for the PNM during the election campaign. The bold attempt to overthrow the former prime minister was conducted in PNM vehicles that were expected to transport supporters to and fro. However, Sunday Guardian, interviewing people on the grounds in certain constituencies, learnt that several party members, clad in blue T-shirts on election day, undermined the party, and instead transported supporters to vote for the People's Partnership.
One high-ranking member said, "Dr Eric Williams had said the only way the PNM would fall is if PNM people work against the PNM. "It was nothing against many of the candidates, but it was the only way you could have removed the leader, because the way the delegate system is structured you would always find the power of incumbency works to their benefit. "We were not given a voice, so we realised it would take an electoral defeat to cause the party to turn against the leader. "We were dressed like them, walking with them, but we were bent on not voting for the PNM. It is a decision many troops took." Sources in Arima said PNM supporters were working with the Partnership to ensure the PNM's defeat with Manning at the helm.
Sunday Guardian learnt that among the constituencies undermined were San Fernando East, which Manning had held for the past 11 years (in 2007 Manning got 10,320 votes and in 2010 he got 9,736), San Fernando West, Arima, Mayaro, Chaguanas East and Lopinot/ Bon Air West. A top political source said, "It was simply who cannot hear would have to feel. Up to yesterday, people met me and said I canvassed for you, but I voted against you. "In their minds, they felt they were prepared to sacrifice the party for the benefit of better leadership. "When you think about what occurred along the East/West Corridor, that is the bulwark of the PNM, something has to be totally wrong. "The plot was hatched to overthrow Manning. In fact, he was supposed to lose his seat too."
Enill speaks:
Not denying or admitting that snitches were undermining the PNM, party chairman Conrad Enill said, "If this is so, that is not the way matters should be dealt with. There is an appropriate way you deal with such situations. "The election of political leader was due in two years' time; that would have been the appropriate place to deal with it." He admitted that pollsters hired by the party revealed that data fluctuated on a daily basis. "The government station said PNM was going to lose. That was out there for the last six to eight weeks. "Polls were changing from day to day, and therefore we were managing it in such a way that we knew what was happening and what action we could have taken to correct the issue. Enill said the electorate might have wanted to hear popular things, but they did not from the PNM. "I have a great amount of respect for the former prime minister, because he says what he is going to do, whether or not it is the popular thing to do or not.
"He said we were going to continue the Property Tax and construction of the smelter plant. Those were not popular things to say. "People were telling him to say popular things to return to government, but he firmly believed that he had to maintain the face and the trust of the people of T&T. People thought differently, and these are the results."
However, as the party moves forward, Enill strongly condemned the actions of supporters who converged on the steps of Balisier House and jeered and disrespected the former political leader in support of Diego Martin West MP Keith Rowley. Also echoing similar sentiments were members of the PNM Chaguanas West constituency who, in a press release, stated the action of the supporters was "unwarranted," since many felt that Manning should have been thanked for his contribution.
Manning was misled...Psychic warns Persad-Bissessar
Psychic Winston Ragoo, who was on the ball again when he predicted that certain key PNM safe seats would swing away from the PNM, said yesterday that Manning was mislead. Ragoo said three key players within the party were responsible for the defeat of Manning. The three frontline officials, he said, had been working with Keith Rowley to undermine Manning, while pretending to give their support to the former prime minister and political leader of the PNM. "Three major people were advising the former prime minister (names called) and those people knew he was not going to win. They were undermining the party and him and he took wrong advice from them."
Ragoo said Manning would soon fade away from the limelight and migrate. "There are a lot of questions to be answered," the psychic added. "I previously said the results were going to tip in the People's Partnership's favour. "He never felt Trinidad would have turned against him like that. It was not just politicians, but the whole of T&T." The PNM has to reinvent itself, he said. A new party must emerge to win the next general election. Ragoo also warned Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to be wary of some of the people around her.