Sir Ellis’ pain, Mr Manning’s obsession

THE EDITOR: Just as former President Sir Ellis Clarke was being relieved of his car by four gunmen, robbed of his cash and got his jacket torn, Manning was bleating to Trinis in New York about his plans to move into the Red House, his dreams for the FTAA headquarters in Trinidad, and inviting them to return home. What more eloquent evidence of Manning’s obsession with the Red House? The streets of the nation are seething with criminals, but Manning wants the Red House. An innocent citizen is murdered in jail, but Manning wants the Red House. Kalifa’s mother is waiting for Hazel, but Manning wants the Red House.

Does Manning expect the FTAA headquarters to come to Trinidad when he cannot protect prominent citizens like Sir Ellis, Robbie and Dr Wahid? Will foreigners risk bringing their innocent tots to Trinidad, when little Vijay has not yet been returned to his parents after 100 days? Will each FTAA official have to hire two security guards, for their wives and themselves? Those who can afford to, are sending their families away; and many others are discouraged by the crime wave from coming back home. Will Mr Manning wake up from his Red House dream and see the torment inflicted on the populace by the crime scourge? Again, I put the question — Why does Manning not publish a Green Paper to tell the population his reasons for moving into the Red House? Should the people not share his dreams?

MICHAEL J WILLIAMS
Maracas Valley