Former prime minister Patrick Manning's High Court actions against the Privileges Committee are expected to be heard at the end of this month.He was scheduled to appear before Justice Maureen Rajnauth-Lee yesterday in the Port-of-Spain High Court but the matter was rescheduled to May 31.Last month, Manning, through his lawyer, former attorney general John Jeremie, filed an application for leave to apply for review at the court over refusal of legal representation for a disciplinary hearing of the committee.Also on May 12, an application was filed seeking to prevent Manning from appearing before the committee, before Rajnauth-Lee.Manning was before the committee for contempt, relating to statements made about the private residence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar near Bryan's Gate, Philippine.
On Monday, during the vote in the House of Representatives to accept the findings of the committee (decided last Friday), Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal hinted that Manning may no longer seek the court's assistance in deciding on the matter.Efforts to contact Jeremie at his chambers for comment on Manning's future legal plans for the matter at the end of the month, proved futile.Manning's legal team also includes Douglas Mendes, SC and attorneys Kerwyn Garcia, Stuart Young and Sasha Franklin, while the committee is due to be represented by Senior Counsel Russell Martineau, Dana Seetahal, Deborah Peake for the matters before the High Court.