PNM on the move says Manning

In a wide-ranging address to a six-Central Trinidad Constituency Assembly at the Chaguanas Junior Secondary School on Saturday evening, Manning said, "the PNM had taken some new courses to ensure that we get value for expenditure."

"PNM is on the move," he told the packed auditorium. He spoke about the success of the Ministry of Education after the NAR and in particular the UNC’s mistakes that "we had to undo what they had done" in their quest to introduce free secondary education by "opening schools near bars and barber shops."

He said that it was a credit to the Ministry of Education to see the improvements that were taking place "when compared with what happened two to three years ago."

Manning said that the changes were obvious from the pre-school stage to tertiary education.

He said that the opposition was accusing the PNM of not doing anything "but one thing we are not famous for is talking foolishness very loosely."

He said that the Government had established a Rural Development Company to guarantee that the people in those areas, especially the East Indian community, would be adequately looked after and no doubt they would be getting "two bites at the same cherry."

Manning said that when one looks at what was happening in other countries in the world Trinidad and Tobago was a unique place in which to live.

Touching on the question of General Elections, the PM again urged supporters to be prepared.

He noted that the Opposition was claiming that the PNM was not doing anything, but he would like to hear them "at the end of this year, by mid-year, by the end of next year, by election time. And if they believe that elections are coming at the end of 2007, let them go ahead with that; that’s fine with me." The six constituencies that co-ordinated the exercise were: Couva North, Couva South, Caroni Central, Caroni East, Chaguanas, and Tabaquite.