As former prime minister Patrick Manning's walk for democracy enters its final stages, members of a PNM "rebirth" group have slammed Port-of-Spain mayor Louis Lee Sing's recent criticism of the exercise. When Manning began the march last week, Lee Sing said it was foolish, that Manning had "lost it" and should take up preaching as he once said he would do. Lee Sing said those who were following Manning were heading to a sanatorium. Lee Sing's daughter-in-law Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing, however, joined Manning's march the same day Lee Sing spoke.
Along with her was PNM general council member Joel Primus. Both have continued walking with Manning, including yesterday's leg from Freeport to Claxton Bay. Lezama-Lee Sing, Primus and others will also be trekking today, as Manning's walk moves from Claxton Bay to Tarouba, winding into the final leg tomorrow towards San Fernando. Yesterday, a PNM group on Facebook's on-line community called "Renaissance-Visionary PNM" to which Primus belongs, issued a scathing reply to Lee Sing, reminding him of his calls for PNM healing at PNM's general council. The group said its members were PNMites committed to a better T&T and the name meant "rebirth," since the PNM "must be reborn with a clean slate for future party leaders and should shed preconceptions and biases and start over.
"We are firm in our belief that T&T remains number one priority for PNM and there is a responsibility on our part to ensure that we offer the best possible options to people," the group said. "However, Lee Sing's comments can be considered divisive and a contradiction to a motion he raised at the April general council which called on PNM leadership to take steps to bring immediate healing and mediation following the poor showing of the parliamentary arm on Manning's recent motion in Parliament. "Lee Sing indicated the importance of burying the hatchet and the promotion of a united front...His latest comments are a reversal of those discussions and bring into question Lee Sing's credentials to speak on the party's behalf.
"Lee Sing's latest outburst calls for the PNM leadership to make public its position on Manning's walk. It would be foolhardy to think the leadership supports Lee Sing's pronouncements, given PNM's fundamental requirement to represent the people." The group said Lee Sing's statements were "disrespectful in the highest order...callous and derogatory, particularly his reference to Manning's experience with cancer. "Lee Sing must be rebuked for his insensitivity which is unbecoming of a public official," the group said. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms, the mayor or any holder of top office calling citizens, especially young people, insane."
The group defended Manning's initiative, saying PNMites would not be against issues of democracy or taking a stand against Government's "excesses" and "injustices." Citing a list of national issues, the group said: "This matter has nothing to do with Manning. "This gentleman is no ordinary parliamentarian...his years of service have contributed significantly to T&T's development," it said. "It's imperative the mayor and the entire PNM political leadership get off their high horse and come down to earth." The group said Lee Sing's comments are "as ill-advised as his illegal wrecking of vehicles in Port-of-Spain and as preposterous as seeking to limit the licence requirement of bar owners."