People’s National Movement (PNM) chairman Marvin Gonzales has warned San Fernando East MP Brian Manning that he is “going down a very dangerous path” by continuing to take the party’s internal disputes into the public domain.Gonzales issued the warning yesterday as the PNM addressed the dispute between Manning and the executive of the San Fernando East constituency.The dispute began last week after Manning, in a Facebook post, raised concerns about the constituency’s executive chairman, Patricia Alexis.
People’s National Movement (PNM) chairman Marvin Gonzales
The party responded on Thursday, warning Manning against publicly discussing internal matters.Shortly afterwards, the San Fernando East Constituency Executive also took to Facebook to defend itself against the allegations levelled by Manning.As the back-and-forth continued last weekend, the PNM called a news conference yesterday to address the matter at Balisier House, Port of Spain.Also present were PNM vice-chairman Dr Amery Browne, lady vice-chairman Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, deputy political leaders Colm Imbert and Sanjiv Boodhu, and general secretary Foster Cummings.Gonzales said the party’s central executive had again attempted to address the dispute by meeting with the San Fernando East constituency executive on Sunday.He said Manning was invited to attend but was absent.“(Sunday) evening at 5 p.m. the leadership of the party under the directive of honourable political leader met in San Fernando with the executive of the San Fernando East constituency. The Member of Parliament was invited and unfortunately, he was not present at that meeting,” Gonzales stated.He said members of the constituency executive expressed concern about the manner in which the dispute was playing out publicly.He said, “They let us know how they felt on how this matter is being handled and we supported them. Many of them were hurt on how the entire fiasco and how this issue is being played out in the public domain.”Giving an update into the matter concerning Manning and Alexis, Gonzales said: “We expect this exercise to be concluded by Friday and as soon as that exercise is completed, the central executive of the party is set to convene in a meeting on Saturday to examine the outcome of the work of that committee.”He said the general council would meet to consider the matter in keeping with the party’s constitution.
