Manning suggests Rowley is part of RAMJACK team

Prime Minister Patrick Manning brought back memories of his political courtship with Ramesh L. Maharaj on Wednesday as he launched a bitter attack on his former cabinet colleague, Keith Rowley.

The Diego Martin West MP has been a thorn in Manning's side, especially since Manning fired him from cabinet over what Rowley said was his attempts to get answers about irregularities at the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT).

Rowley has been on the attack since then and on Monday he appealed to members of the People's National Movement (PNM) to stand up against Manning and stand up against corruption in the PNM.

On Wednesday Manning went after Rowley, saying he is a man who is full of hatred, which he said is clouding his judgment. And drew a parallel with Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.

He spoke of the alliance he formed in 2001 with the former Attorney General in an attempt to undermine the Panday government, which had just won a majority in the general election.

Maharaj and two members of the Panday cabinet worked out a deal with Manning to topple the UNC government and install Manning as prime minister. It didn't work then but the general election that followed led to the 18-18 tie that caused the president to fire Prime Minister Basdeo Panday and appoint Manning in his place.

Manning recalled that deal and described Maharaj as a "destroyer of governments" and suggested that Rowley is now joining the RAMJACK alliance in the opposition, saying he sees a "tag-team relationship between the member for Diego Martin West and the Member for Tabaquite".

Referring to the 2001 deal, Manning noted that it is a method "which is not unfamiliar to me," admitting that he was part of a conspiracy with Maharaj against Panday.

"So when I see it, I recognise the hand of the man I describe as 'El Capo dei Capi'. And I will now advise this Parliament what you thought was RamJackG is now RamJackG and Rowley."

Manning's reference was unfamiliar to the House, so Speaker Barendra Sinanan asked for a translation. Manning obliged, saying "El Capo dei Capi" is a mafia term which means "the boss of all bosses".