MANNING: ‘AFRO MALES’ AN ERROR

As he reiterated that Government had no plan to target Afro-Trinidadian males for any special social or economic programmes, Prime Minister Patrick Manning virtually distanced himself from statements made by Ministers Keith Rowley and Danny Montano Science and Technology on the issue of recruitment at COSTAAT. Manning, who came to the post-Cabinet press conference armed with a copy of last year’s Social and Economic Policy, cited last year’s document to support his case that the words “Afro-Trinidadian males” (which appeared in this year’s document) was “an error,” and not  Government policy. In an attempt to explain how such an “error” passed ministerial eyes, Manning said that the Budget documents were very voluminous “and it is entirely possible that some of these things escape us. “Had I seen that particular reference, it would not have appeared in the document,” he stressed.

Told that two of his ministers had stated that this was Government’s policy, Manning suggested that the statements of the Prime Minister took precedence over anything said by any other minister. “All I am saying is that I have outlined what the Government policy is, he insisted. Pressed further, he suggested to reporters that they speak with the two ministers. He stated however that he intended to talk to them on the issue. He also stated that since many public servants studied in the US “where that  approach is the norm,” some of them (public servants) found themselves with a “US orientation which was very different from that of the people of this country.” But Manning said that young males “on the whole” had a problem which Government had to address.  The women were doing well and the men weren’t, he said. He also stated that any Prime Minister should be concerned about any imbalance of any kind in the society.

He said this was why Government re-commissioned the Centre of Ethnic Studies. The Prime Minister confessed however that the COSTATT blunder “turned out to be a gift” for the Opposition. Noting that that issue, along with statements about a “hit-list” at Petrotrin to eliminate East Indians, had heightened race talk within the last week, Manning blamed the Opposition for this development. Saying that the UNC traditionally used race to secure political  support, Manning said one could be assured that they would go for it “whenever their backs were against a wall.” The PM added: “They have been groping at straws for some time now and the slightest thing they see, you would hear them use (the word) race.” Manning also stated that the Cabinet yesterday set up a ministerial committee to address the question of integrity and performance in the URP system. The committee would report next Thursday.