Body goes to crematorium
Gail Alexander
Following the Trinity Cathedral service, the flag-draped casket of late former prime minister Patrick Manning was taken to Belgroves Funeral Home and Crematorium in Tacarigua.
The hearse left immediately after the service ended at 1:30 pm, as invited guests were making their way to a reception at City Hall, Port-of-Spain.
At the crematorium, a rite of committal function attended by family and close friends was led by Anglican Church Archdeacon (South) Edwin Primus.
It featured songs by the Eastern Chorale - All We Ask, and Great is Thy Faithfulness as well as a solo I Vow My Country to Thee by John Thomas, one of Manning’s favourite soloists.
Preceding that final aspect, the service at Trinity Cathedral between 10 am and 1:30 pm saw a packed church. Tents outside the church—which attracted people from before 8 am were also full.
The three-hour service began at 9:50 am when Manning’s casket borne on the shoulders of soldiers, in slow procession from the Lighthouse, South Quay, arrived.
Following the welcome by Rev Fr Carl Williams (interim rector), tributes followed by Luke Quamina of the Open Bible Standard Churches, Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque, St Vincent Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, President Anthony Carmona. The eulogy was given by Brian Manning, elder son of the late PM. Readings were done by another son, David Manning and Manning’s sister, Dr Pamella Manning. The sermon was done by retired Diocesan Bishop Rev Calvin Bess.
Hymns included The Lord’s My Shepherd, Into Your Hands, My Hope is Built on Nothing Less.
Those paying respects to Manning were former president Prof George Maxwell Richards (walking with some assistance from aides and his wife, Jean), Zalayhar Hassanali (wife of late president Noor Hassanali), Cabinet ministers, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar, and Opposition MPs Ganga Singh and Prakash Ramadhar, the diplomatic corps, retired public service heads, Manning’s former secretariat and Office of the Prime Minister staff, former cabinet member—including Manning’s former team—former Parliament presiding officers, PNM officials, past and present, THA officials headed by Orville London.
Also present were associates of Manning plus businessman Arthur Lok Jack, Mariano Browne, Ralph Maraj, Wendell Mottley, Mickela Panday, Manning’s former press secretary Paige De Leon, OWTU head Ancel Roget, MSJ leader David Abdulah, Fuad Abu Bakr (son of Jamaat leader Yasin Abu Bakr).
Penny Beckles, Amery Browne and Fitzgerald Jeffrey, who are ambassadors abroad, were also present.
Running 15 minutes late, proceedings began winding up with the national anthem. A crescendo of music ushered the casket out, starting with tassa which normally heralded Manning’s entry to political meetings, steelpan, brass, and the voices of the Lydian singers doing Handel’s Messiah, and again ending with heavy tassa.