Commentary: If you think Manning is quitting politics, watch for Santa coming down the chimney

File: "Lock me up too. Look me here, lock me up! Not Calder Hart.

Patrick Manning and his supporters really think people are fools. His Friday "confession" exercise was meant to launch a comeback to his political career, despite his declared intention to retire at the end of the present term as the MP for San Fernando East.

If Manning had any real intention of leaving the political stage he would have done so immediately after his humiliating defeat on 24 May 2010 and his subsequent expulsion by his party to make way for the coronation of Keith Rowley.

If you read between his lines you would also see the hypocrisy. While he is saying he supports his leader, he is also suggesting that by attending meetings of important party institutions he might overshadow Rowley - a sign that his arrogance has not waned.

And then his comment about not being a pot hound barking at every car is a clear reference to the Rotweiler who now occupies the PNM kennel, chasing cars at every turn just to let his bark be heard. Manning on the other hand is presenting himself as the dignified dog of high breeding who would bark when it is appropriate and do so with forceful effect.

So far his barking has been no better than the pot hound chasing cars. The first pronouncement landed him is hot waters and got him expelled from Parliament. And he was full or arrogance and defiance when he shouted in Parliament during the budget debate (to which he made no contribution) "Lock me up too. Look me here, lock me up! Not Calder Hart."

No matter what he says Manning has no love for Keith Rowley today and will never do. Their rivalry began many years ago when he fixed things to become PNM leader and cast Rowley aside. You may recall Manning's laments in the House of Representatives about how he had to endure Rowley's rage for years. He called him a 'wajang" and a "raging bull".

The Rowley PNM has also kept its distance from Manning refusing to support him in Parliament and letting him walk alone on his lonely march to San Fernando. It is noteworthy that a few PNM bigshots chose to walk some part of the way just in the off chance that Manning returns to be top dog.

The other part of Manning's confession is also to be taken with more than a grain of salt.

"I am sorry", he told citizens through the media. He added that people expected him to be perfect and since he is only human, he inevitably failed them.

You don't have to be God to govern fairly.

Manning had all the right conditions to be a good national leader but he squandered it with his corruption, nepotism, arrogance and partisan politics. And he chose to stand behind all the misfits and square pegs he put in round holes, including his friends like Calder Hart and spiritual adviser, Rev. Juliana Pena.

Even when he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar he was still demonstrating his tendency to be a dictator.

He stood with Calder Hart and insisted that the man did nothing wrong. He denied any involvement of the infamous church at Guanapo when he was clearly directing the project. He personally guided the scholarship slush fund, making sure only certain people knew of it and got awards.

And he was not tolerant of any criticism. When two radio announcers knocked his fiscal policies he showed up at the radio station to intimidate the men and demand that the management of the station deal with them. And when those of us in the media told him he was out of line his response was that he would do it again "if the spirit moves me".

If to err is human, then Manning should be magnanimous enough to forgive the PP government for some of its missteps. After all Kamla et al are also human.

But Manning isn't really sorry about anything except that he miscalculated the outcome of the 2010 general election. If he had the slightest idea that he would be in the position he occupies today he would have stood his ground instead of calling an election. Today his tabanaca must have reached the peak seeing Kamla shaking hands with the Queen in Australia.

He promised some years ago that he would leave politics and become a preacher. His once close ally Louis Lee Sing advised him recently to do just that.

If I were a betting man I would wager that Pastor Manning is not going to take the pulpit any time soon. And if Manning is really quitting politics, then I would expect Santa Claus to come down the chimney delivering gifts.

Jai Parasram - 31 October 2011