Manning would not vote for gay bishop

Prime Minister Patrick Manning said yesterday that if he had a vote on the election of gay New Hampshire Bishop, Gene Robinson, “I would have cast it in a different direction”. He was speaking at yesterday post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall. "

Asked if he supported a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion, Manning said the Government of Trinidad and Tobago was “pro-life, not pro-choice”. Manning also reiterated yesterday that Government planned to honour its commitment to increase NIS payments by October 1. The Prime Minister was questioned about reports that NIB could not fund the increase and had asked the business community for assistance. Manning said that Government “was determined” to implement the increase in NIS pensions to $1,000 a month. “It will happen,” the PM pledged. He said that Government and business would “work out the mechanics”. 

On the issue of the disabled community, Manning exp-ressed regret that the situation had developed to the point where the Commissioner of Police might have to take action to ensure that the disabled group leaves the premises of National Flour Mills. He said various ministers, including the Prime Minister, had interfaced with the disabled group.  He said government had taken a number of steps to improve the lot of the physically challenged and he had already given the assurance that the Budget would paid considerable attention to their situation. “Government was not pussyfooting on the matter of the disabled, but had been as sensitive as the rest of the national community.