Former journalist tells 1990 coup probe about statements from Manning and Panday

Former journalist Dennis McComie said on Monday one of the first national leader he reached after hearing about the attempted coup in 1990 was Patrick Manning, who was leader of the opposition at the time.

He said Manning told him he didn't want to have anything to do with it, and called it "a family squabble and it would soon be over."

Counsel for the inquiry Avory Sinanan asked what "family" Manning meant to which McComie said: "I suppose the Trinidad and Tobago family or a political family."

McComie told the commission he found Manning's statement to be "unconscionable and irresponsible", adding, "Mr Manning was obviously agreeing with Abu Bakr."

He also said he called Basdeo Panday's home telephone and his wife, Oma, answered. McComie said Mrs Panday asked him to hold and after a short pause told him that her husband was sleeping and has asked him to call back when it (the coup) was over.

McComie admitted that it was strange that Mrs Panday said her husband was sleeping but still said "wake me when it's over". However he said he did not question Mrs Panday.

Panday explained the matter in an interview with JYOTI in 2009. When asked about it he admitted making the statement but explained that he had taken a sedative and thought reporters wanted to ask him about proceedings at Parliament.

Panday was recuperating from cardiac surgery and had left Parliament early that day to go home to rest. He had taken sedatives and was asleep. 

He told JYOTI when his wife said a reporter was calling about something to do with Parliament he said he told her to ask the reporter to call back later when it was over, meaning the parliamentary sitting. He said he did not know at that time that insurgents had stormed the Red House and taken hostages.

McComie said he also reached the late Archbishop Anthony Pantin who sang the the national anthem and urged people to pray. "He was singularly instrumental in soothing the psyche of the nation," McComie stated.

He also stated that coup leader Imam Abu Bakr called him and took responsibility for the uprising. He said Bakr assured him that his people were not hurting anyone. He said Bakr stated that the army and the NAR government were the ones doing that.

McComie suggested that the media gave Bakr too much exposure to air his views before the attempted coup. "The media were very enthusiastic about letting him say whatever he wanted to. I found it unconscionable," he said.