Manning, Patrick

August 17, 1946

Patrick Mervyn Augustus Manning, the third child and only son of Elaine and Arnold Manning, was born in Trinidad. His father, an early member of the Peoples National Movement (PNM), worked diligently for the party in the San Fernando East Constituency, and his home virtually became its office. Consequently, from his early childhood Patrick became acquainted with many politicians, such as Nicholas Simonette, C. L. R. James, De Wilton Rogers, and Andrew Carr, who visited his parents' home to discuss party matters.

Patrick attended the San Fernando government primary school, from which he won a scholarship to Presentation College in San Fernando. There, he earned a Cambridge School Certificate, Grade 1. He went on to study for the Higher School Certificate examination, gaining passes in pure mathematics, applied mathematics, and physics. His ambition was to study engineering in the United States. This goal was dashed when he failed to win a scholarship from an American university. He received one from Texaco Trinidad Inc., however, to study geology at the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica. On campus, Manning met other Caribbean leaders, including Percival J. Patterson, future Jamaican prime minister, and Edwin Carrington, who would become the secretary of the Caribbean Community Market (CARICOM). The first indication that he had political aspirations was his decision to contest the election for the chairmanship of his undergraduate residence hall. His slogan was "put a manning." His colleagues did not. After graduation Manning returned to Trinidad to work for the Texaco Oil Company as a geologist.

The rise of the Black Power movement at the end of the 1960s forced the PNM to make adjustments to its representation in the House of Representatives. The PNM accepted the resignation of Gerard Montano, a white man, founding member of the party, and the representative for San Fernando East since 1956. After several interviews Manning was selected as the new candidate for the constituency. The opposition did not contest the elections in 1970 because of its "no-vote campaign." Thus, the thirty-five PNM candidates, including Manning, were elected by acclaim. Since then, Manning has had an uninterrupted career in national politics in Trinidad and Tobago. He held several ministerial positions during the Eric Williams years. He was parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works, Transport, and Communications (1976–1978), minister for the public service in the Ministry of Finance, and minister of information in the Office of the Prime Minister. Manning also acted as minister of labor, social security, and cooperatives; external affairs; national security; and agriculture, lands, and fisheries. His most prestigious duty during his apprenticeship was representing the prime minister at the Zimbabwean independence celebrations in 1980.

One of Manning's most delicate assignments came when he was appointed as the minister in charge of Tobago affairs in the Prime Minister's Office when the Ministry of Tobago Affairs was disbanded in 1976. Tobagonians voted the PNM members out of office in the 1976 elections. In spite of his long career as a representative during Williams's tenure in office, Manning was never a member of the cabinet (his earlier positions were not cabinet-level ones). His first full ministerial office was his appointment to the Energy and Natural Resources portfolio during George Chambers's government (1981–1986). Manning served in this capacity until 1986, when the PNM was soundly defeated thirty-three to three by the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), led by A. N. R. Robinson. Manning was one of the three PNM incumbents who held their seats. President Ellis Clarke then appointed him leader of the opposition. He held this office until 1990, when Basdeo Panday formed the United National Congress (UNC) and was appointed opposition leader.

Manning led the PNM's return to power in 1991, becoming the fourth prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He continued in this position until he called a hasty election in 1995 and lost the government to Panday's UNC. Both parties won seventeen seats, and President A.N.R. Robinson reportedly swung the two NAR seats in Tobago to the UNC. Manning remained in opposition until 2001, when another deadlocked result created a constitutional crisis. President Robinson appointed Manning prime minister, and in the following year he won the 2002 election, thus remaining the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago. In the 2003 county council elections, Manning scored his most impressive political victory over the UNC. This achievement indicated that he had made inroads, even if only temporarily, into UNC strongholds.

Bibliography

Beach, Silene. "The Political Life of Patrick Manning Since 1971." UC 300 Project, 1994.

Ryan, Selwyn. Revolution and Reaction: A Study of Party Politics in Trinidad and Tobago 1970–1981. St. Augustine, Trinidad: University of the West Indies, Institute of Social and Economic Research, 1982.

selwyn h. h. carrington (2005)