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00:22Police officers have served court documents on the People's National Movement trustee Carl Celestin in connection with the ongoing preliminary
00:30unexplained wealth proceedings involving funding for the party's headquarters, Ballysee House.
00:36Fellow trustee Patrick Taylor is reportedly out of the country. Celestin and Taylor have now been formally identified as the
00:44two trustees of the PNM and are named as the first respondents in the proceedings, with the PNM represented by
00:51its general secretary named as the second respondent.
00:54Under the order of the center of the proceedings, the respondents are required to file a declaration of assets with
01:01the Registrar of the Supreme Court within 14 days of service.
01:05The matter stems from an application by Commissioner Police Alistair Guevara for a preliminary unexplained wealth order under Section 58
01:12.1 of the Civil Asset Recovery and Management and Unexplained Wealth Act 2019.
01:20San Fernando East MP Brian Manning is calling for greater transparency and independent oversight within the constituency executive of the
01:29People's National Movement.
01:31It's a challenge from within the PNM and Brian Manning is making it publicly.
01:37The San Fernando East MP says months of consultation with constituency members have produced questions about how the PNM constituency
01:45executive is being run.
01:47He contends those concerns were formally put to the party's general counsel but have not been addressed satisfactorily.
01:54At the heart of the dispute is constituency chairman Patricia Alexis, who holds several senior positions within the PNM.
02:03Manning says, quote,
02:04Many of our members have said they believe these myriad roles compromises the impartiality of decision making whenever constituency matters
02:13are elevated to the national level and that the interests of San Fernando East may not be fairly represented as
02:21a result, end quote.
02:22Manning also challenges the handling of a recent constituency executive election.
02:27He says an unannounced vacancy was filled by a person unfamiliar to many long-standing members and alleges that person
02:35was connected to the constituency chairman.
02:37While the MP goes further raising questions about the financial profile of some members of the executive, saying, quote,
02:45More broadly, I have experienced a growing unease among our membership about the perceived and unexplained affluence of certain members
02:53of the constituency executive.
02:56A perception that left unaddressed continues to erode the trust and confidence that hold our party together, end quote.
03:03Manning then singles out Alexis referencing media reports about millions of dollars in CPAP contracts awarded while she was chairman
03:11of the rural development company.
03:13He wrote to Facebook, saying the media has reported that Miss Alexis was able to obtain millions of dollars in
03:19CPAP contracts from the Ministry of Rural Development and local government while being an employee of the rural development company.
03:26Constituents would like to know what is the party leadership's view on this concerning matter, end quote.
03:33Importantly, Manning says he's not making an accusation of guilt.
03:36His demand is for an examination he believes will be independent and seem to be independent.
03:42He proposed that an outsider, someone not serving on the PNM central executive, be included on a committee tasked with
03:50verifying party groups in San Fernando East.
03:53The general counsel rejected that request, leading Manning to say, quote,
03:58I cannot in good conscience accept this arrangement inspires confidence.
04:02You cannot ask members to have faith in an inquiry when those closest to concerns sit in judgment of it,
04:09end quote.
04:10Manning says the decision amounts to more than a disagreement over who sits on a committee, saying, quote,
04:16To my mind, it reflects a reluctance to allow these matters to be examined by a genuinely impartial hand, end
04:22quote.
04:22And Manning is making it clear this is not a call to abandon the party.
04:26He says he's given much of his life to the PNM and is speaking out because he believes its credibility
04:32and the confidence of its membership are at stake.
04:35He tells his constituents, quote, I hear you, I stand with you, and I will continue to defend the integrity
04:40of our party and your interests with everything I have, end quote.
04:45Manning is calling on the PNM leadership to provide clarity on the concerns raised by San Fernando East members,
04:51while stressing he remains committed to due process and fairness for all.
04:56In response, Chairman of the PNM Marvin Gonzalez says the matter is being managed by the leadership with the support
05:02of the General Counsel of the PNM.
05:04He tells TV6, quote, an investigative team was approved with terms of reference.
05:09The team met with both Mr. Manning and Mrs. Alexis and their witnesses and submitted a comprehensive report to the
05:16leadership and the General Counsel with findings and further recommendations, end quote.
05:22Gonzalez said the leadership and the General Counsel noted the findings and acted on the recommendations.
05:27He said, quote, the matter continues to be addressed in accordance with the traditions of the party and its constitution.
05:33I am confident that the party has managed this matter and continues to do so not only in the best
05:39traditions of the party,
05:41but in accordance with the principles of natural justice, fairness and procedural propriety, end quote.
05:47The chairman says the PNM remains resolute to work with Manning and Alexis and the San Fernando East constituency to
05:54resolve the issues that exist there.
05:56Arvashi Tawari, Rupanarayan, TV6 News.
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