Moonilal asks Rowley to explain why Manning refused to speak in budget debate

Government House Leader Dr Roodal Moonilal wants Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley to explain why former prime minister Patrick Manning didn't speak in the budget debate.

Moonilal was responding to a charge made by Rowley at a meeting San Fernando that Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine did not contribute to the debate.

The Housing Minister pointed out that Ramnarine did speak. 

“Dr Rowley may have been distracted during the recent budget debate because the Energy Minister spoke on the first day of the debate in the Senate and gave a comprehensive statement in the presence of six PNM senators,” Moonilal told the Guardian.

He promised to send Rowley a a copy from Hansard of the minister’s address.

At the same time Moonilal raised the question about Manning's silence during the budget debate. He asked why the “most seasoned and experienced member of the Opposition and former prime minister" did not speak in the budget debate.

The minister said Manning would have been "in a prime position to respond to questions raised by the Government on the matter of the scholarship programme, on matters of the wastage of taxpayers money by Udecott and matters pertaining generally to mal-administration.” 

Moonilal said, “Dr Rowley must explain why this member remains silent on the Opposition benches and focus on uniting his party in the aftermath of the removal of the baliser tie, rather than making false statements in the press.”