The Opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) has responded to the concerns raised by San Fernando East Member of Parliament, Brian Manning on Wednesday.
In a statement issued on Thursday morning, PNM Chairman Marvin Gonzales, issued the following:
“The People’s National Movement has taken note of the public statement by the Member of Parliament for San Fernando East, the Honourable Brian Manning on August 19, 2026, concerning matters within the San Fernando East Constituency and Executive.
Last month, July 2026, upon receipt of correspondence from the Member of Parliament for San Fernando East and the Chairman of the Constituency Executive, the General Council of the Party appointed an inquiry team with approved Terms of Reference, to examine the issues raised by both parties on matters concerning the Constituency of San Fernando East. That team met with both Mr Manning and Mrs Patricia Alexis, received representations from them and their respective witnesses and subsequently submitted a comprehensive report containing findings and recommendations.
That report was considered by the Leadership, Central Executive and the General Council. Actions are being taken on its recommendations and the process of addressing the issues within the San Fernando East Constituency continues.
The PNM is a democratic organisation and over the course of our 70 years of service to Trinidad and Tobago there have been other occasions, especially around the time of Constituency elections within the Party, when differences would arise between a Parliamentary representative and a Constituency Executive. As always it behooves Members to respect the Constitution of the Party and to avoid public ventilation of matters that are properly before the General Council.
For seven decades, our strength as a movement, has rested on respect for the Party’s structure and processes, on allowing all parties to be heard and on recognising that our institution must remain stronger than any individual disagreement.
The party will always seek to address those matters adhering to the principles of due process, natural justice, fairness and procedural propriety.
Public exchanges of allegations and counter-allegations will not resolve the issues confronting the San Fernando East Constituency. They risk prejudicing the process, damaging individual reputations and undermining the very institutions upon which all members must ultimately rely.
The Leadership and General Council will continue to work with Mr Manning, Mrs Alexis and the members of the San Fernando East Constituency towards a resolution. The Party will not be drawn into publicly adjudicating allegations concerning individual members while that work continues.
For 70 years, the PNM has endured because generations of members have understood that the Party is bigger than any one of us and that each of us is, for a time, a custodian of something larger than ourselves.
There will be disagreements and strongly held views but we have a responsibility to resolve those differences with fairness, discipline and respect for each other and for the Party we are privileged to serve.
The Leadership of the People’s National Movement remains committed to doing exactly that.”
