The House of Representatives will today pay tribute to late former prime minister Patrick Manning, who held the record of being the longest serving Member of Parliament (MP).
Manning died last Saturday at San Fernando General Hospital, where he was warded for five days battling a lung infection. He was subsequently diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a rare, very aggressive cancer of the blood.
A former People’s National Movement (PMN) leader and MP for San Fernando East, as well as the fourth and sixth prime minister of this country, Manning had devoted 44 of his 69 years to T&T’s public service.
Today, the House of Representatives, where he’d represented San Fernando East for a record period from 1971 to 2015—and where he once held the spotlight as prime minister—will feature tributes from the ruling PNM and Opposition UNC.
Finance Minister Colm Imbert, expected to act as Prime Minister from today due to Prime Minister’s Dr Keith Rowley’s attendance at the 36th Caricom summit, will lead Government’s tribute. Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar will also speak. MPs will observe a minute’s silence in observance of Manning’s passing.
Tributes to Manning from regional leaders will also be among highlights of today’s opening ceremony of the Caricom summit being held in Guyana until Wednesday. Rowley is expected to leave for the summit this morning.
Yesterday, Rowley visited Manning’s wife Hazel, son David and other relatives at the family’s Vistabella, San Fernando, residence, it was confirmed. A team of public servants also met yesterday with the Manning family to work out funeral details. A family spokesman, as well as Minister Stuart Young (Prime Minister’s Office) expected that by today details should be finalised.
Proposals so far are to have Manning’s body lie in state at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) on Thursday and at the Northern Academy (NAPA) on Friday. Both structures had been Manning’s initiative.
A state funeral will be held on Saturday at Trinity Cathedral, Port-of-Spain, incorporating the neighbouring Woodford Square block also.