IS PM Manning breaking the law?

When Prime Minister Patrick Manning showed up for the independence day parade on August 31, 2002 his official vehicle was not carrying the PBM 1 plate. In its place was the country's Coat of Arms, a privilege reserved only for the president. The national emblem became a permanent fixture on the Prime Minister's Benz in July 2005 during a visit by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Now in light of Ag. Police Commissioner James Philbert's declaration of zero-tolerance on all law-breakers the question that people are asking is whether Manning is breaking the law by not carrying proper plates on his official vehicle.

The Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act is clear that the Prime Ministerial plates bearing the official Coat of Arms are illegal.

It states in Chap 48:50, Section II, Registration of Vehicles 16, A, B, and C that only vehicles used by the President can carry the Coat of Arms; all other vehicles must be licensed and insured.

The act further states that is a vehicle is being used without the identification mark legally required the relevant authorities may impound it until they make further enquiries.

In this case it clear that the prime minister's official vehicle has been in breach of the law unless some special amendment was made to let Manning use the Coat of Arms. And so far no one in authority appears to know what's really going on.

The Sunday Express asked Transport Commissioner Ruben Cato about the Coat of Arms on the PM's car. This is what the paper quotes him as saying: "I cannot say as I speak whether he (Manning) needs special permission, I will have to research that...I have not seen it and I cannot comment on something I have not seen."

However the paper said Cato agreed that it would be illegal under the Act to drive a vehicle with unlicensed or fraudulent plates. It quoted him as saying, "Once a person is caught he will be prosecuted which we have been doing...An offence has to be detected or seen in order to go to court to prosecute."

The paper also spoke with Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Crime and Operations Gilbert Reyes who confirmed that under the Act only the President has the authority to use the Coat of Arms.

It said Reyes was clear that it is an offence to drive a car with unregistered plates. But although Manning has been using the vehicle with the Coat of Arms for more than three years neither Cato nor Reyes has seen the vehicle with the silver Coat of Arms.

But they both agree that "if this is indeed so we will want to know how that happened."

And there is another wrinkle. The Association of Trinidad and Tobago Insurance Companies (ATTIC) told the paper that any "owner or driver or operator should know that it is illegal to operate a vehicle if it is unlicensed."

In any case insurance companies cannot cover a vehicle that is unlicensed. So does that apply to the PM's Benz? The association isn't sure on that specific issue.

And what does the government have to say on the matter? Information Minister Neil Parsanlal did not offer any explanation when the paper asked him about it, passing the matter to the Office of the Prime Minister.

The communications manager for the PM's office, Paige de Leon, didn't have an answer as well. She promised to "do the relevant investigations" and get back to the Express on the matter.

One lawyer, Om Lalla, said the Prime Minister's Office and the Transport Commissioner must explain if any authorisation or amendment to the law was granted to allow Manning to use the Coat of Arms.

"If there is no proper explanation forthcoming and no authorisation given...it appears as though there is a breach of the law," Lalla told the paper.