Internet report says palace coup in PNM imminent, "utter panic" in national executive

A blog titled Trinileaks is reporting a serious rift within the opposition People's National Movement (PNM) and is suggesting that an internal coup is imminent that will see Patrick Manning taking over as opposition leader while Keith Rowley will remain as leader of the party.

Trinileaks said, "Following a weekend of Easter celebrations by day and what is said to be underground political meetings by PNM officials by night, the stage appears to be set for a palace coup in the PNM, with Manning now just barely commanding the majority of support on the Opposition bench."

The blog has quoted unnamed PNM sources as saying that Rowley embarrassed the party with his racist talk in Parliament last Friday when he accused Attorney General Anand Ramlogan of visiting the Trinidad and Tobago consulate in New York and expressing concern about the ethnic balance at the officer.

Rowley has held on to his story and is facing possible Parliamentary censure for refusing to withdraw his remarks and apologise even after both Ramlogan and UNC Chairman Jack Warner provided evidence that Ramlogan has not been to New York in the past two years.

The blog quoted an unnamed source as saying "what Dr Rowley has done is to cause the PNM to take on a new identity of being the black man’s party...No one is happy about what Dr Rowley said. It should not have been said and it is too late to take it back."

The blog has also noted the recent public divide with some MPs defying the whip and voting with Manning in his private motion to try to get his lawyer to question witnesses in his matter before the Privileges Committee of Parliament. 

It said that incident demonstrated Rowley's weakness as a leader and exposed the deep divisions which have caused "utter panic" in the PNM's national executive.

Read the report: PNM rift widens ass new calls emerge for Manning's return.