PM says ‘no’ to National Security

PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning yesterday quashed rumours that he would be taking over the job of National Security Minister. He said any announcement of  a Cabinet reshuffle, in the wake of Works and Transport Minister Franklin Khan’s resignation on Sunday, would be made “in due course.” Other sources indicated an announcement could come soon after the weekly Cabinet meeting. Apart from Manning’s “no” to the National Security Ministry, everything else is speculation. The Prime Minister is playing his cards very close to his chest and it is unlikely that any talk of a Cabinet reshuffle would take place at today’s weekly meeting at Whitehall. “Those things (Cabinet reshuffle) are not discussed there (weekly Cabinet meeting),” a source said.

Addressing the third in a series of “Breakfast with the Prime Minister meetings at the Hilton Trinidad yesterday, Manning began his presentation by bluntly informing the media that: “I am not either today or soon to assume the portfolio of Minister of National Security nor am I this morning about to announce any Cabinet reshuffle.” However, the Prime Minister did an-nounce that he celebrated his 34th year as a Member of Parliament on Tuesday and was very excited about the socio-economic prospects which lay ahead for Trinidad and Tobago. Approached by reporters after the meeting, all Manning would say about who will replace Khan and when he would announce changes to the Cabinet was: “No comment on that. In due course. Thank you very much.”

However the Prime Minister and Science, Technology and Tertiary Education Minister Colm Imbert seemed intent on keeping the media in suspense on the issue. The Prime Minister outlined his knowledge of the Works and Transport Ministry by discussing the second phase of the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension into Point Fortin. Imbert referred to projects being undertaken by the ministerial portfolio he “currently” holds and showed he could easily reclaim the health portfolio from current line minister John Rahael. Government ministers Christine Sahadeo, Danny Montano, Conrad Enill, Ken Valley, Camille Robinson-Regis, Howard Chin Lee, Pennelope Beckles, Knowlson Gift, Satish Ramroop and Knowlson Gift were present at the Hilton, but all declined to comment about a Cabinet reshuffle.

It is expected that former Labour Minister Larry Achong will receive a portfolio while Robinson-Regis, Dr Lenny Saith, Martin Joseph and Eric Williams will be assigned different ministerial portfolios. Williams (unlike Khan) has not resigned from the Cabinet in the wake of allegations made against him by PNM councillor Dansam Dhansook. Khan has said he wants to clear his name and will be willing to return to Govern-ment. Williams has refused to resign, even though the Opposition UNC has threatened to write the Canadian government to request an investigation into Talisman, the company which sub-contracted Dhan-sook’s firm Terra Seis.

Williams was not in office yesterday, but Newsday spoke to him at a funeral he was attending in Laventille. “I stand by every statement I have made so far and I have nothing to add,” the Energy Minister stated. Williams said the Prime Minister has not spoken to him about a different ministerial portfolio, and he declined to respond to the UNC’s allegations against him. Manning and Khan did not attend the PNM’s parliamentary caucus on Monday. Khan’s ministerial appointment was officially revoked by President George Maxwell Richards on Tuesday. Khan has said he will remain as chairman of the PNM and chair the party’s monthly general council meeting on Sunday in San Fernando.