"I do not want to comment at this time. Whatever stand the General Council (of the PNM) decides to take on the situation I would abide by that position," Rowley told the Trinidad Express.
The Sunday Express produced evidence in the form of a sworn declaration by architect Stephen Mendes, who confirmed Manning was personally involved in the commissioning of the controversial church in the Heights of Guanapo.
In the document, Mendes said: "The ’PM’ referred to in a letter I wrote dated 2nd May 2006 which I addressed to the chairman of UDeCOTT, Calder Hart, was the then Prime Minister Patrick Manning."
On May 15, Kamla Persad-Bissessar produced unveiled documents that pointed to the same evidence now confirmed by Mendes but Manning had claimed that PM may have meant Project Manager, not Prime Minister.
The church matter was first raised in Parliament by Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner who asked Manning to explain whether he had any connection with the church and whether state funds were being used to build it.
Manning went on an hour-long tirade against his critics and urged the Christian Evangelical Movement to stand up for their rights, which he claimed were under threat. He insisted that he had nothing to do with the church.
It turned out later that not only did he have a direct connection the contractor building the church was the same that build his mansion and that there was a direct connection with UDeCOTT and its executive chairman at the time, Calder Hart.
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