PM meets with disabled

Prime Minister Patrick Manning took time out from his busy schedule yesterday to meet with  members of the differently-abled community.

The members were, at the time, holding a prayer vigil outside Whitehall, and had called on all religious bodies, organisations, NGO’s, trade unions and concerned citizens, to join them in a show of support believing that prayer can move mountains as indicated in their invitation. However while the vigil fizzled with not more than a dozen people present at any one time, Prime Minister Manning made it his business to meet with and introduce himself to the disabled just before 3 pm. At that time, Manning was between the end of his usual cabinet press conference and a meeting with an ambassador before heading off to his San Fernando constituency office.

Advisor to the Prime Minister,  Herbert Atwell was subsequently sent to meet with the disabled to arrange a further meeting between PM Manning and the Disabled. On hearing of the PM’s meeting with his people, Chairman of the Disabled People International/TT George Daniel, who was unable to be present at the vigil described the meeting as hopeful. He said: “In one word, hopeful. I feel very good and I want to say thank you.” Daniel told Newsday that after hearing of an earlier report stating that the PM wasn’t aware of the disabled people outside of his office he was very surprised, but that he now looks forward to a further meeting with the PM.

Daniel is currently laid up at the physical medical section of the St James Medical Complex infirmary under doctor’s orders. The vigil was another planned event in the struggle of the disabled for “full citizenship”, and among the few high profile people who turned up to show their support were president of the Public Services Association Jennifer Baptiste, activist Clive Nunez, CEPEP contractor Mackie Padmore and a representative of Pastor Clive Dottin.