Column: Manning's dirty politics won't hurt Kamla

It would seem that Prime Minister Patrick Manning is following the Panday script in trying to knock down his prime opponent, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

As the leader of the United National Congress (UNC) continues to gain political strength and additional non-traditional allies, Manning is engaging in dirty politics, mudslinging and attempts at character assassination.

Here is what he had to say this week in Tabaquite in defence of his wife, Hazel Manning:

“Let me tell you who Hazel Manning is...She does not smoke...she does not drink...get drunk and wine down to the ground...Hazel Manning is a woman whose shoe latchets Kamla Persad-Bissessar is not worthy to untie...leave Hazel Manning alone...she is the best transformational Minister this country has ever seen!”

What Manning didn't say is why he saw it fit to appoint his wife to Cabinet three times without ever having her face the electorate.

No one has ever voted for Hazel yet she has been sitting at her husband's side in Cabinet since Manning was allowed to usurp the position of Prime Minister on Christmas Eve 2001.

In our parliamentary system we allow backdoor appointments to the Cabinet through the Senate. But to do it three times is anti democratic and sends a clear message that the appointee is not fit to represent the people and by extension should not be fit to sit in Cabinet.

In Manning's case it smacks of nepotism. As to Hazel's competence, well that is another matter entirely.

During the UNC internal election campaign in January Panday tried the same approach, going as far as calling Kamla a drunk and suggested that she cannot be a leader unless she defeats "her problem."

Her problem, she admitted, was Panday. And she soundly defeated him.

And now her problem is Manning and the PNM and she is set to beat them as well.
Manning's Waterloo is at hand!

In January, Panday's strategy didn't work and Manning's attempts to pull a page from Panday's script will also fail.

The nasty politics strategy failed in January because Kamla refused to be drawn into Panday's agenda and instead stayed on the high road outlining her vision to heal the ailing UNC, take it out of intensive care, return it to its strength and then unite the opposition to beat Manning.

And today she has delivered on all those promises and demonstrated that she is not only a leader, but a strong and effective one who is most likely going to be the country's prime minister when the votes are counted on May 24.

She would be wise to stay on focus telling the people about Manning's failings and to outline her policies for rebuilding the nation that Manning and his PNM clique have deformed through their divisiveness and misguided policies.

So far the nation has responded positively to the UNC leader and her efforts to unite the country. She has refused to engage in tribal politics and she has enunciated clear policies about governance and accountability.

On the other side, Manning and his colleagues are digging deep to find dirt, hoping some of it would stick.

And in a desperate attempt to counter the people's indictment against him, Manning is now enlisting his wife to sing his praises.

“Some people are spending a lot of money to attack my husband," Hazel Manning told supporters this week. "So let me tell you what he is really like and you don’t have to pay me any money to tell you...

"Every night he gets only four or five hours of sleep. He works long hours, he listens to people’s views and asks for advice, because he knows that being Prime Minister is not a part-time job."

The people of Trinidad and Tobago know that too.

So long as Kamla and her colleagues stay on focus, they would relieve Manning of his stress on Monday May 24.

UNC Chairman Jack Warner has already said on May 25 Manning will not have a job.

Jai Parasram - Toronto | 23 April 201