PEOPLE’S National Movement (PNM) chairman Marvin Gonzales has warned that the party will not engage in public exchanges over internal disputes involving its members.That warning followed concerns raised publicly by PNM Member of Parliament Brian Manning on his Facebook page on Wednesday, which Manning said the party had failed to address.
concern over multiple roles:San Fernando East MP Brian Manning.
Gonzales said in a news release yesterday said that the party had taken note of Manning’s statement concerning matters within the San Fernando East constituency, for which he serves as MP, and executive.He explained that the party will always seek to address those matters, adhering to the principles of due process, natural justice, fairness and procedural propriety.He also advised that public exchanges of allegations and counter-allegations will not resolve the issues confronting the San Fernando East constituency.“They risk prejudicing the process, damaging individual reputations and undermining the very institutions upon which all members must ultimately rely,” he cautioned.At the centre of Manning’s concerns is the range of positions held by San Fernando East constituency chairman Patricia Alexis.According to Manning, Alexis is also the PNM’s assistant general secretary, a San Fernando East representative on the General Council and a member of the party’s Central Executive.He said members expressed concern that the combination of roles could compromise impartial decision-making when constituency matters are considered at the national level.He also raised questions about a recent constituency executive election, claiming that an unannounced vacancy was filled by a person unfamiliar to many long-standing members and allegedly connected to Alexis.He alleged that party members have described the process as lacking transparency and proper constitutional procedure.The MP also referred to what he described as a growing unease among members over the perceived and unexplained affluence of certain members of the constituency executive.Gonzales yesterday also sought to explain how those matters raised by Manning were being addressed internally.He reported, “Last month, July 2026, upon receipt of correspondence from the Member of Parliament for San Fernando East and the Chairman of the Constituency Executive, the General Council of the Party appointed an inquiry team with approved Terms of Reference, to examine the issues raised by both parties on matters concerning the Constituency of San Fernando East.”According to the party’s chairman, this team met with both Manning and Patricia Alexis, received representations from them and their respective witnesses, and subsequently submitted a comprehensive report containing findings and recommendations.He said the report was considered by the leadership, Central Executive and the General Council.“Actions are being taken on its recommendations and the process of addressing the issues within the San Fernando East Constituency continues,” he continued.He noted that the PNM is a democratic organisation and said over the course of its 70 years of service to Trinidad and Tobago, there have been occasions where differences arose between its members.Gonzales emphasised that such differences could arise between a parliamentary representative and a constituency executive, particularly around the time of constituency elections within the party.He called on members to respect the constitution of the party and to avoid public ventilation of matters that are properly before the General Council.“For seven decades, our strength as a movement, has rested on respect for the Party’s structure and processes, on allowing all parties to be heard and on recognising that our institution must remain stronger than any individual disagreement.”The party’s chairman further assured that its leadership and General Council will continue to work with Manning, Alexis and the members of the San Fernando East constituency towards a resolution.He asserted that, “The Party will not be drawn into publicly adjudicating allegations concerning individual members while that work continues.”“For 70 years, the PNM has endured because generations of members have understood that the Party is bigger than any one of us and that each of us is, for a time, a custodian of something larger than ourselves.”Gonzales said while there will be disagreements and strongly held views, members have a responsibility to resolve those differences with fairness, discipline and respect for each other and for the party they serve.“The Leadership of the People’s National Movement remains committed to doing exactly that,” said the PNM chairman.
