Manning made the observations in a media release in reaction to the contradictory statements over who has jurisdiction over the SIA. On Monday a release from the office of the Prime Minister said that was the sole responsibility of the Commission of Police.
However after the commissioner stated that he did not have that responsibility the government issued a second release indicating that it "inadvertently gave the media the wrong impression that the SIA falls under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Police."
Read the story: PM's office: SIA does not fall under sole jurisdiction of CoP
Manning said it was a "dangerous spectacle" to have the Commissioner of Police contradict the Prime Minister, with the Prime Minister eventually having to admit she was wrong.
"What in the world is going on here? Is this how you manage the critical matter of our national security, by generating unnecessary and dangerous tensions between the political directorate and the leadership of this critical arm of the law?" Manning asked.
"Is this incompetence, carelessness, indifference or worse? It is disconcerting for the country that the Prime Minister has again had to correct an error. This regular need for our nation's leader to backtrack and apologise cannot generate confidence in the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago. Instead, it is creating despair and uncertainty at home and growing derision abroad," he said.
Manning also criticised Justice Minister Herbert Volney, who stated that two Israeli men destroyed much of the data collected during the illegal wiretapping operation.
"Mr Volney will have to eventually clarify his own mystery of Middle-Eastern intervention in matters of national security," Manning said.
He added that he has no information. "I have been out of the Office of the Prime Minister for going on seven months, I know nothing of where these files are," he said.
He added that while the Prime Minister has categorically denied that she ever had the files "Ashworth Jack says he saw them and so has a leading journalist...Yet she comes to the Parliament revealing information supposedly contained in these files, and holding documents aloft, waving them theatrically to support her claims," he said.
"What is the truth Prime Minister? Did you or did you not ever have these files in your possession? Have you ever seen them? Did you ever read any of them, certainly, for example, the ones that would have contained the names of those individuals whose names you so carelessly called in Parliament?
"If not, it was scandalously irresponsible of you not to verify the source of the information that you gave to the nation with such fanfare and indignant self-righteousness. Speak the truth to us, Prime Minister. That's only fair," Manning stated.
Manning also said the Commissioner of Police should reassure citizens that the files are secure.
"We look forward to hearing from the Commissioner of Police...The nation should be spared any further shocks on this matter as well as the entertaining allegations of Mr Volney," Manning said.
"I hope I will no longer be called upon to account for matters that are now properly under the control of this Government. Stop scapegoating and start governing," he said.
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