Manning makes blistering attack on media

Prime Minister Patrick Manning pointed to reporters present and launched a scathing attack on the media yesterday at the PNM’s 48th Anniver-sary celebrations at St John’s Ambu-lance Hall, off Wrightson Road.

In his tirade he railed against certain recent news stories. His assault caused several PNM supporters to become hostile towards the reporters present and to shout “Bogus reporters! Bogus reporters!” A visibly-agitated Manning began his attack by blaming the media for reports that there existed splits in his Cabinet. He accused some members of the media of trying their best to split the Cabinet. He also expressed anger over a news report of his recent speech at Howard University about kidnappings. He stormed: “At no time did I use the word ‘bogus’. I paid a high price for that (news report). That word was never used.”

Manning said the media had not properly reported from Parliament on the issue of forgiveness of his debt incurred in challenging the crossing of the floor of two MPs from the PNM to UNC. He recalled telling a Post-Cabinet Media Conference that in his recent visit to Spain and UK he had travelled on an executive jet plane courtesy two companies doing business in Trinidad, he said someone had then accused him of lying. Manning was also upset by comments in a newspaper criticising his recent walkabouts to areas like Maloney. He also recalled a columnist saying the Government had achieved nothing except in foreign affairs, Manning said during his recent US visit, many observers had predicted President George W Bush would have no time for him. “But when they saw the picture (of Manning and Bush) on the front page, I am sure it was a question of diarrhoea in some quarters.”

Justifying his claim to have the Red House as the Office of the Prime Minister, Manning again hit out at stories in the media. “There are those who insists on conducting a vendetta in the newspapers...‘Manning is too big for his boots’... Dottish talk!”. Defending himself for handing over the appointment letter to Commmis-sioner of Police, Everard Snaggs, Manning said: “Once again my name is being called in vain.”