Even though he is on official sick leave from Parliament, former prime minister Patrick Manning took time yesterday to join in the local government campaign.Manning, the MP for San Fernando East, donned his red PNM T-shirt and jumped on the back of a truck for a motorcade in support of the party's candidate for Marabella/South Vistabella Phillip Montano.The motorcade began on Coffee Street, in front of Manning's constituency office around 4 pm yesterday, and ended in Marabella.
Still displaying signs of the stroke which struck him down almost two years ago, a smiling Manning, accompanied by his wife, Hazel, had few words for the media.He said he was just there to support Montano who has been producing J'Ouvert bands in San Fernando for the past 20 years.A graphic artist who is very active in the St Andrew's Kaggwa Roman Catholic Church, Vistabella, Montano said he intended to encourage the integration of the church with social activities.His plans for the electoral district if he is victorious in the October 21 local government elections is to lobby for a 24-hour ambulance service for the area, increased presence of the protective services, improvement of the maintenance of roads, recreation grounds, pavements and drainage, as well as the introduction of night sports at various facilities.