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  • 1 day ago
The political turbulence within the PNM's San Fernando East constituency is now raising broader questions about the party's leadership, internal credibility and political future.
MP Brian Manning says the failure to address the concerns early has allowed deeper problems to emerge.

Tv6's Nicole M Romany has the story.
Transcript
00:00Former minister and sitting MP for San Fernando East, Brian Manning, says the political leader's handling of the situation has
00:09only compounded the party's leadership challenges, with serious questions now surfacing about its internal governance.
00:16It is clear to me and to many other observers that there is a corrupt element within the people's national
00:25movement that the political leader of the party is either unable or unwilling to address. I personally will not be
00:33called by these individuals.
00:35He tells the morning edition the PNM is drifting from the principles championed by his late father, former prime minister
00:42and political leader Patrick Manning. He warns the consequences could be felt at the ballot box.
00:49My main concern is the people's national movement. There is no willing any general election in this country. For the
00:55PNM, if we turn out to look exactly like the U.S., the United National Congress is not the political
01:02party. It is a bandit clan. It is a collection of criminals. If we tolerate similar criminal activity within the
01:10people's national movement, then we are no better.
01:13The MP says, some who entered politics as ordinary citizens now appear to have amassed considerable wealth with remarkable speed.
01:23We have several members of the San Fernando East executive who apparently, in their view, have become millionaires overnight. We
01:30have a millionaire councillor. We have millionaire executive members, people who just a few years ago were of little means,
01:39and all of a sudden, they are wealthy.
01:43Manning also sought to clarify where his own political allegiance lies.
01:48In my lifetime, I have been offered millions of dollars by people in the U.S.C. to put on
01:53a yellow jersey and mount a U.S.C. platform.
01:56And I told them no then, and I will tell them no for the rest of my life. I will
02:01absolutely never join the United National Congress.
02:05It is the people's national movement for me or nothing at all.
02:09Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
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