We will protect House Speaker

PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning yesterday said Government will provide protection to House Speaker Barry Sinanan and his family, in the wake of a death threat which the House Speaker received last week. In an exclusive Newsday story on Sunday, Sinanan reported to Ag Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs that a threatening letter was sent to his office at the Red House last week. The one-page letter suggested East Indians form “a secret society” to assassinate persons like Sinanan who, “put obstacles in their way” and sided with the African community to suppress East Indians. The author of the letter also condemned alleged “ethnic cleansing” and racial discrimination at several State agencies and companies. Asked after yesterday’s PNM General Council meeting at Balisier House whether Government would give Sinanan 24-hour police security or increase the levels of security which the Speaker currently has following the death threat, Manning replied: “Of course if the Speaker has received a threatening letter, we are going to do something about it.”

When contacted yesterday, Snaggs confirmed that he received the letter on Friday and the matter was being investigated. The letter is reported to bear the name and address of an individual from Central Trinidad. While reiterating that Government would ensure the Speaker’s safety, Manning said: “Some of us (top public officials) get that (death threats) pretty regularly. I have been getting some of them myself. Recently, I have gotten one or two of them.” The Prime Minister lamented there were some people within the society, “who feel they could use extra legal means to treat with political matters.” Manning declined to comment on a UNC MP’s vow to make further “revelations” about alleged “ethnic cleansing” at Petrotrin. PNM chairman and Works Minister Franklyn Khan said he had no knowledge of death threats made against Manning, but said if such threats were in fact made, they would be treated very seriously.