Hundreds of people of every age, class and political allegiance lined the streets of San Fernando yesterday, as they bid farewell to former prime minister Patrick Manning, a man described as “a true San Fernandian”.
Traffic came to a standstill as commuters came out of their vehicles to witness the military procession taking Manning’s body to the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) yesterday morning for the first public viewing of his body since he died last Saturday.
The casket bearing his body was draped with the national flag and hoisted onto a gun carriage on Ruth Avenue before the procession along the Rienzi Kirton Highway.
As the spectators waited for the procession to begin, a hush fell over proceedings and many wept as they looked on.
Manning, who served as the Member of Parliament for San Fernando East during his four-decade political career, died at the San Fernando General Hospital two days after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.
Emotional
The T&T Guardian spoke to several people who marched alongside members of the armed forces, accompanying Manning’s body to SAPA.
Adora Nicholas, 80, was one such mourner.
Despite the heat of the day, Nicholas walked from Ruth Avenue to SAPA with the parade.
“I knew him from when he was a little boy going to school in Presentation (College),” she said.
“I will never forget him going home during the lunch time hour to take food to one of his mother’s sick friends. He was a most caring person from such a tender age.”
Nicholas said she had come prepared to wait all day for a chance to view Manning’s body.
As the casket bearing Manning’s body passed, one mourner, who asked to be identified only as Wendy, said: “This is very emotional. He was a true son of the soil, a true San Fernandian. Regardless of what party one supports, he was one of us in every way and every San Fernandian feels this loss.”