Blood on your hands

In the next unsolved killing or kidnapping, the Opposition could have blood on its hands for having opposed police reform legislation, said Prime Minister Patrick Manning. He was winding up debate on the Bills in the House of Representatives Friday and despite the hour of 2.06 am, gave a lively and impassioned delivery. “The next one who gets killed and whose killers we can’t find, or we are having difficulty in finding because of the inadequacies in the system of how the Police Service is run, then the blood is on their hands. “We have kidnapping in this country, and the authorities are having trouble dealing with it because of the system by which the Police Service is operating... The blood is on their hands.” Foreseeing defeat for the Bills, Manning shared his personal feelings about the frustrations of being Prime Minister. “If I have any regrets, it is that I have invested five years of my life and the people’s time in an exercise that will come to nought tonight.”

Reading out the entire Newsday editorial of Thursday, he said he took solace in the remarks of some commentators. “With the help of Almighty God this Government will persevere. We will try new approaches. Whether the Opposition wishes to cooperate or not, we will try new approaches. By the help of Almighty God we will succeed.”  Earlier, Manning had dared the Opposition: “If you feel to vote against this legislation go ahead; we’ll just put something else in place.” Turning to Siparia MP, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, he defended the performance of his wife, Minister of Education Hazel Manning, saying she daily went to work sober.

Describing the Opposition as looking like “a pathetic bunch,” Manning jibed: “I’m not afraid of anyone on that side. I’ll take on anyone, anytime, any place. You name it.” When his speaking time needed an extension, Persad-Bissessar rose to move that he be given an extension. She added: “There is nothing you can say that I am afraid of. I can take on any of you anytime, anywhere - you name it.” Thanking her for requesting the extension, Manning jested: “This reminds me of the gunfight at the OK Corral; all this gun talk!”  He said the Opposition should not see its role in the Legislature as just obstruction.