Manning’s sick leave extended to October

Former prime minister Patrick Manning has extended his sick leave from the Parliament until October, House Speaker Wade Mark said yesterday. Manning, who celebrated his 66th birthday yesterday, is recuperating from a mild stroke which he suffered in January. He took leave from the Parliament after that and extended it to July 24. He had been in the US undergoing therapy up to earlier this month when he returned home.

When Parliament resumed from its mid-year vacation yesterday, Manning’s San Fernando East seat, however, remained empty. Speaker Mark said Manning had requested further leave from July 25 to October 24 because of continued illness. Mark approved the leave. During yesterday’s session, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan wished Manning a happy birthday in his absence. Ramlogan said Manning’s PNM colleagues appeared to “have forgotten  him.”

The House, which had been expected to resume next month, met yesterday to finalise amendments to the Financial Intelligence legislation since an international team is coming to T&T next week to see how far T&T has complied with  FIU requirements.

Yesterday’s session, which began at 10 am, took place hours before a 7 pm Independence ball which the Parliament had planned among its celebrations for T&T’s Golden Jubilee anniversary. Close to noon, Mark put MPs on notice that since they had all agreed to have the ball, debate on the FIU issue would go right through the lunch break without stop in order for the session to conclude early for the ball. PNM MP Colm Imbert criticised the Government for bringing MPs out of their mid-year vacation to deal with the FIU amendments which he said were simple matters.