Rowley threatens Manning, demands apology

Keith Rowley is going after Prime Minister Patrick Manning with a vengeance, demanding an apology and threatening to haul his former boss before the Privileges Committee of Parliament.

Rowley had been silent for a while following Manning's attacks on him during debate the 2008-09 budget when Manning suggested in Parliament that Rowley should explain a missing $10 million from the Cleaver Heights housing project in Arima.

The day before Manning's statement Rowley had taken the prime minister to task for the manner in which he and the government were handling allegations concerning UDECOTT, the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago.

Manning had fired Rowley for questioning UDECOTT's operations, although Manning told the media that it was Rowley's "wajang" behaviour that caused his downfall.

Both Rowley and the contractor responsible for the project, N.H. International, said that there was no missing money and that there was no discrpancy. N.H boss Emile Elias produced documents showing that Manning's statement was misleading.

On Thursday, Rowley held a news conference at which he produced official documents to support his position and to clear his name. Rowley said he obtained the documents through his lawyers and they show that there was no basis for Manning's claims.

And he told reporters he would take the matter to House Speaker Barendra Sinanan for an immediate ruling on whether Manning should be taken before the privileges committee.

Rowley said the documents from the Housing Ministry clearly show that no money was missing from the project and that Manning's statement in Parliament was not based on any verifiable facts.

He accused Manning of a deliberate attempt to tarnish his good name by first speaking about Landate and them making the false accusations about the missing money.

He noted that up to now Manning has not made any documents public to support his charges. That is unacceptable, he said and suggested that there is a deliberate attempt to hurt his reputation. “And in this case, the Prime Minister has taken matters into his own hands to accomplish that outcome,” he charged.

Rowley told reporters his only concern is to defend himself and prevent any attempt to smear his name and hurt his political career. He said Manning's false statements are now a permanent part of the nation's parliamentary record. He said he is trying to make sure that the records are kept clean and accurate.

He said he cannot feel exonerated even if "the Prime Minister doesn’t go further with his slander...I feel I’m entitled to the protection of the Standing Orders and I intend to avail myself of this.”