Manning and team off to retreat; Rowley stays home

Prime Minister Patrick Manning, his cabinet and the parliamentary caucus of the People's National Movement are taking some time off for a retreat at the posh Salybia Nature Resort and Spa, but one of the men who was there the last time the group met is absent.

Keith Rowley, who was fired from cabinet last year by Manning, is not there for the "bonding" event that ends on Sunday.

The retreat is also an opportunity for members of the administration to reflect on their 16 months in office, relax and "engage in some discussion". It had been originally scheduled to take place in December but was postponed after Manning had to go for surgery in Cuba.

Rowley told the Trinidad Express he did not receive a formal invitation. However Information Minister Neil Parsanlal said Rowley is "more than welcome" to attend. "Dr Rowley is a member of the People's National Movement. He is a sitting member of Parliament and therefore it (the retreat) is open to everybody."

As the PNM meets away from the various national problems facing the country there are reports that top members of the party are seeking major cabinet changes because of what they say is "some measure of disappointment with the performance of the Government", especially with so much discontent over the deteriorating crime problem.

However, according to a source quoted in the Trinidad Express, "This is not a crisis. The Prime Minister is not being pushed but is in fact working according to his own time scale."

The paper's sources suggested that the lustre is fading and it would be a good time to shake things up, notwithstanding the newness of many of the incumbents.

The party is also nervous about the Local Government election due this year and the possibility of an opposition party penetrating traditional PNM strongholds such as the Diego Martin Corporation and the Port of Spain City Corporation.

Rowley represents Diego Martin West and while he has remained loyal to the party he is disenchanted with the way the leadership is running its internal affairs.

There is no certainly he would campaign for the PNM as he did in the Tobago House of Assembly elections. Right now the former minister is preoccupied with what's happening at the Uff enquiry into the construction sector and UDeCOTT, which is taking a break until March 23.

He plans to file a witness statement on the missing $10 million relating to the Cleaver Heights Housing Development with the commission. And Rowley's attorney, Margaret Rose, will seek the commission's approval to summon former managing director of the Housing Development Corporation, Noel Garcia.

Rose has sent a letter to the commission requesting leave to file the summons on behalf of Rowley on or before March 9, 2009.

"In addition", she wrote, "our client recommends and urges the Commission to issue a summons to Mr Noel Garcia, former managing director of the Housing Development Corporation, to secure his attendance before the Commission as a witness with first-hand knowledge of and executive responsibility for all material aspects of the Cleaver Heights Development contract, negotiation and procurement procedures which were undertaken during the period when our client held the position of Minister of Housing."

Garcia doesn't think he has anything of value to add. However he is ready to appear before the commission if he gets a summons.