He called for Persad-Bissessar to open the house to the scrutiny of the media and lay the relevant approvals for its construction in the Parliament.
Manning did so in his maiden contribution to in the House since being defeated at the polls, while speaking on the Interception of Communications Bill. He had in his possession enlarged photos of Persad-Bissessar’s house, which is currently under construction in South Trinidad, with him as he spoke.
“This picture, Mr Speaker, is a photograph of a house under construction on the San Fernando, Siparia Erin Road just past Bryan’s Gate, Phillipine, and on the road to Debe on the right hand side. It is a house owned by the Member for Siparia and the Prime Minister, the honourable Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and in San Fernando we call is “Kamla’s palace”, Manning said.
“Look at it, Mr Speaker … it is a huge facility and that investigations, Mr Speaker, indicate that this property is larger than the Diplomatic Centre,” he continued.
Manning’s statement immediately provoked members on the Government benches to burst out in loud laughter.
An unfazed Manning continued, “This facility, Mr Speaker, has more space than the Prime Minister’s residence and, Mr Speaker, the best estimate that we have, the all-inclusive cost of building this facility is $150 million.”
Members on the Government benches again broke out into loud laughter, as Persad-Bissessar rose and said, “I rise on a standing order, misleading the House, Mr Speaker.”
Asking the public to bear “Kamla’s palace” in mind, Manning went on to stress the importance of special intelligence agencies in foreign jurisdictions in the fight against crime and the drug trade.
He said the Strategic Intelligence Agency (SIA) and the Special Anti-Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT) played an important part in this fight and went further to defend these agencies, saying that “worked very well”.
Manning went into detail to outline all the measures the PNM took to deal with the drug trade, which included the setting up of radar system here as well as in other Caribbean countries. He said the cancellation of the OPV deal “is interfering with a carefully laid strategy to protect the Eastern Caribbean and Trinidad and Tobago from the influence of the drug dealers”.
Manning said the bill will undermine the security of the State and this country will see a rise in criminal activity, including kidnappings. He then referred to a book—Old Board House—written by Chad Modeste and excerpts from it, where the author states that in this country the media played an influential part in the anti-Manning campaign.
“Blame the media!” quipped Persad-Bissessar, as Manning went on to say there was evidence that money was used in that exercise.
Manning went on further to query the large amount of money used in the People’s Partnership election campaign.
“I have been involved in many election campaigns in my life, I have never seen any election campaign like that last one, in which money was clearly not a problem,” he said.
Throughout his entire contribution, Manning was asked close to a dozen times by House Speaker Wade Mark to withdraw statements he made when he raised allegations that money was being sourced from the criminal element.
Manning said the culture of the UNC and the PNM was different, in that under the PNM there was strict accuracy and accounts.
Mark again interjected and told Manning that if he wanted to raise allegations he could do so under a substantive motion of the House.
After withdrawing yet another allegation, Manning said, “I serve notice that substantial motion is coming.”
In wrapping up his contribution, Manning also raised issue over another house—the controversial Lighthouse of the Lord Jesus Christ Church, which was being constructed in Guanapo by Rev Juliana Pena until it was recently abandoned.
He said Persad-Bissessar, Government Minister Jack Warner and Attorney General Anand Ramlogan were responsible for the state of this church.
“I want to tell them one thing, that is God’s church, not mine, and therefore the battle with that church is not mine, it is God’s battle. Let us see how the battle will go on from here on in,” Manning said.
