PM Manning slams Hochoy: ‘Orville is my beloved son’

PRIME MINISTER and PNM political leader Patrick Manning is condemning DAC leader Hochoy Charles for seeking his own political interests under the guise of Tobago separating from Trinidad. Addressing the PNM’s Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Elections campaign launch in Scarborough on Sunday,  Manning said the PNM was the only national party facing the January 17 polls and the politicians of the opposing parties “are not mature enough to understand that all of this talk of secession has no place in the rhetoric of the people of Tobago or Trinidad and Tobago at a time when all around the world, countries are getting closer in blocs of ever-increasing size.” Manning has been a longstanding advocate for political integration within Caricom.

Manning said Charles was speaking about secession because it serves “his immediate purpose to do so.” “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder,” he declared to the delight of the assembled PNMites. Stating that the PNM has given greater autonomy to Tobagonians in the conduct of their daily affairs,  Manning explained that all associations require understanding and goodwill in order to function effectively. “You can put whatever constitutional arrangements that you wish, it cannot and will not work without understanding and goodwill,” he declared. Manning said the PNM’s opponents in Tobago had embarked on a malicious campaign to destroy THA Chief Secretary Orville London’s character in the hope that this would damage the party’s chances of regaining control of the Assembly, and this campaign, he said, would fail. 

He said attacks against London mirrored similar attacks which the UNC initiated against him when he was Opposition leader. Manning left no doubt that London had the full and unwavering support of the PNM when he declared: “Whenever I look at Orville London, I am reminded of the Biblical injunction, ‘this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.’” Manning thanked former PNM  THA representatives, who will be fighting the elections as Independent candidates, and said people were free to leave the party at any time if they wished and “they go with my best wishes.” However he said these persons would witness the “resilience and resourcefulness of the PNM” come January 17.  “We will never allow the interests of one individual to take priority over the interests of all the people of Tobago,” Manning said.