Roodal Moonilal told Parliament Friday former Prime Minister Patrick Manning called the 2010 general election because he feared a palace coup.
The Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives made the charge in his contribution to the debate on the no confidence motion brought against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar by Opposition Leader Keith Rowley.
"He had information of members plotting to remove him by way of a palace coup,” Moonilal told legislators. He added that one MP, whom he did not name, travelled to Barbados on March 26, 2010, a day before Robinson-Regis arrived in the island. He said the plan was for six PNM members to vote against Manning, leaving him without a majority.
Robinson-Regis was at the time Trinidad & Tobago's High Commissioner to Canada
Moonilal said: “Mr Speaker, it was our information that other members as well—at that time elected—travelled to Barbados where there was a plot afoot to come back to Trinidad and vote with the then Opposition against the Prime Minister and remove the PNM government in 2010.”
The debate never took place. Manning asked the president to dissolve Parliament on the eve of the debate of the motion in April 2010 and called the election, which he lost.
Moonilal claimed Rowley also went to Barbados on that weekend and he challenged the leader of the People's National Movement (PNM) to say whether he was part of a plot against his prime minister and party leader.
“I will ask the Opposition Leader to tell us whether he knew of anyone who travelled to Barbados on this weekend...The coup was led by a Member in the House in March 2010 and a Member here. He can’t be trusted. He undermined his own party," Moonilal.
“When the prime minister found out that he was likely to be defeated, he took the glorious way out and went to the people.” Moonilal said because of that Rowley “stumbled and fell into the Opposition Leader’s chair”.
However Robinson-Regis quickly dismissed Moonilal's charges. "That is false, totally baseless, absurd and spurious," she told the Guardian newspaper.
She said in her capacity as vice-dean of the Caribbean Heads of Missions, she went to Barbados on two occasions for trade negotiations between Caricom and Canada. She said Manning was aware of her trips, which were authorised by cabinet.
Robinson-Regis, who was rejected by Manning to fight a PNM seat in the 2007 election, insisted that the she had never plotted against Manning and that she would never do so.
The Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives made the charge in his contribution to the debate on the no confidence motion brought against Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar by Opposition Leader Keith Rowley.
"He had information of members plotting to remove him by way of a palace coup,” Moonilal told legislators. He added that one MP, whom he did not name, travelled to Barbados on March 26, 2010, a day before Robinson-Regis arrived in the island. He said the plan was for six PNM members to vote against Manning, leaving him without a majority.
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| File: Keith Rowley rejoices with supporters after forcing Patrick Manning to resign as leader of the PNM , following the party's defeat in the May 24, 2010 general election |
Moonilal said: “Mr Speaker, it was our information that other members as well—at that time elected—travelled to Barbados where there was a plot afoot to come back to Trinidad and vote with the then Opposition against the Prime Minister and remove the PNM government in 2010.”
The debate never took place. Manning asked the president to dissolve Parliament on the eve of the debate of the motion in April 2010 and called the election, which he lost.
Moonilal claimed Rowley also went to Barbados on that weekend and he challenged the leader of the People's National Movement (PNM) to say whether he was part of a plot against his prime minister and party leader.
“I will ask the Opposition Leader to tell us whether he knew of anyone who travelled to Barbados on this weekend...The coup was led by a Member in the House in March 2010 and a Member here. He can’t be trusted. He undermined his own party," Moonilal.
“When the prime minister found out that he was likely to be defeated, he took the glorious way out and went to the people.” Moonilal said because of that Rowley “stumbled and fell into the Opposition Leader’s chair”.
However Robinson-Regis quickly dismissed Moonilal's charges. "That is false, totally baseless, absurd and spurious," she told the Guardian newspaper.
She said in her capacity as vice-dean of the Caribbean Heads of Missions, she went to Barbados on two occasions for trade negotiations between Caricom and Canada. She said Manning was aware of her trips, which were authorised by cabinet.
Robinson-Regis, who was rejected by Manning to fight a PNM seat in the 2007 election, insisted that the she had never plotted against Manning and that she would never do so.
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