Patrick is that you?

San Fernando East MP Patrick Manning, 66, said he was not yet ready to return to Parliament but felt confident that his constituents are still being represented even though he has been out of the chamber for more than a year.

Manning visited the “People’s Parliament” at Woodford Square and took an hour-long walk around Port-of-Spain, at one stage going shopping for a shirt which he said he wants to wear to church.

At the end of his walk, Manning’s personal assistant Franklin Jeremiah drove him away in a black Ranger Rover Sport HSE vehicle after meeting him at the corner of Hart and Frederick Streets. Manning entered the vehicle which drove away on Hart Street, as curious taxi-drivers at the St Ann’s and St James taxi-stands on the street looked on.

The events took place one day after Manning responded to reports that he had died.

The odyssey began at noon when a message was placed on Manning’s Facebook page, stating, “I will be in Woodford Sq. today at 12.30 pm!!!”

By 12.38 pm, Manning disembarked from a Range Rover which had parked on Abercromby Street, in front of the under-renovation Red House. Manning crossed the street and was soon surrounded by a large group of media personnel as he entered Woodford Square.

The MP was accompanied by former PNM Sports Minister Gary Hunt – whom Manning de- selected from the 2010 General Election race after the $2 million flag scandal – as well as Jeremiah and former head of the PNM youth league Dion Jeffers.

Manning was dressed casually. He wore a red PNM cap which bore the words, “PNM...towards a brighter future”; blue Adidas track trousers; Nike sneakers and a silver wrist-watch.

“Welcome to the ‘People’s Parliament’! You used to pass through but we haven’t seen you in a long while,” said Leslie Patrick, a Port-of-Spain corporation employee who was one of a few people seated in the Square at the time.

He asked Manning to go to the section of the square made famous by former Prime Minister Eric Williams who dubbed the northern end of the park space the “University of Woodford Square”. Manning went to this area and addressed reporters.

Asked why he was taking a walk in the Square, Manning indicated he was on errands in the city.

“I am here to buy a shirt,” he said, his speech bearing the clear imprint of a man recovering from a serious stroke. “(The shirt is) to go to service.”

Asked how he was feeling, he said. “I’m alright, I’m alright.” Questioned about reports of a rumour that he had died, he said, “Well actually this morning, I fell from heaven. I heard the rumour and I could not understand it. I don’t know anything about it.”

Asked by Newsday if he would return to Parliament soon, Manning said, “Actually, I was about to do that and two days before, in NAPA (South Campus), I got a seizure and that has thrown me back.” Asked if he would visit the Parliament chamber, Manning said, “I am not ready to go back to Parliament yet.” Manning’s family has said he has had two of three seizures he has been expected to have in the wake of first falling ill last year.

Asked how much longer he will be away from Parliament, he said, “I could not say.” Asked if he missed Parliament, he grinned and said, “No.” Asked by Newsday if he felt confident that his constituents are being represented during his time away from Parliament, Manning said, “Absolutely.” Asked if he meets with his constituents regularly, he said, “I meet as much as I can.” Manning’s leave of absence from the House of Representatives up to yesterday remained in place. It is due to expire later this month. Manning summed things up saying, “I’m still standing.”

Hunt declined comments and declined reporters’ requests for information about Manning’s contingent, of which he was a part.

Manning then walked south through Woodford Square and unto Frederick Street. Traffic on Frederick Street stopped momentarily as drivers asked Manning to pose for photographs while they held camera-phones in their hands as they drove along the street.

“You alive and you well!” one driver shouted.

A crowd began to follow Manning when he walked on the pavement.

“What a pappy show!” one woman, irate at not being able to pass due to the large number of media personnel that was surrounding Manning, said. “Pappy show yes! Look who behind him, Gary Hunt!”

At another stage, a group of women shouted, “We love you! Patrick, we stepping up with you!” One woman kissed Manning on the cheek.

In his search for a shirt, Manning, holding onto Jeremiah’s arm to climb down from the pavement, crossed Frederick Street and entered the Aboutique Mall. In this mall, he greeted shoppers, including a few inside the Wonderful World women’s store. Eventually, the entire party emerged on Henry Street and Manning crossed the street to Bradford’s, a men’s clothing store which also adjoins the Bradford Mall.

Manning bought a beige Van Hausen French cuff shirt – sold at a 10 per cent discount for $157. John Saba, the cashier smiled for cameras but appeared concerned at the large number of media personnel surrounding Manning. As Manning walked, his right hand never left his trouser pocket.

“That is Patrick Manning? What is this? Allyuh come and see!” one cloth store employee shouted as the former Prime Minister, having bought a shirt walked up Henry Street and crossed across Queen Street, a Mecca for cloth shoppers. Manning hugged and chatted with a few well- wishers, one of whom was Port-of-Spain Mayor Louis Lee Sing who caught up with Manning at the corner of Henry and Queen Streets. Both chatted, with Lee Sing remarking, “Aye aye aye aye! You shut down the town!”