By Richardson Dhalai Thursday, March 11 2010

The pastor of the church where Prime Minister Patrick Manning initially received foundational biblical teaching, Reverend Dr Roderick Loney has described Manning as an “honest man”, who clearly wanted to serve the Lord.

Dr Loney, who holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and who is also Manning’s cousin, said he was not at the church — the Beth’aleel Fundamental Baptist Church, at Drayton Street, San Fernando, — when Manning attended.

But he said he believed the prime minister received training in the fundamental truths of the Christian faith at the level of Vacation Bible School and at Sunday School.

Loney said the church at that time was an “adobe hut” and was housed in a small building, with a possible congregation of 20 worshippers.

He said it would have been “perfectly natural” for the Prime Minister to attend services at the church as the land was bequeathed to the church by one of Manning’s great aunts.

Loney said the present structure was constructed some ten years ago as a “faith venture” without the assistance of anyone.

He also said they did not solicit support from any organisation.

Asked about the present controversy surrounding the construction of a church at the Heights of Guanapo in Arima, Loney said he could not comment since he was unaware of the details surrounding the Guanapo church.

“But what I can say is I think the Prime Minister is an honest man who loves God and wants to serve Him,” he said.

However, the outspoken Pastor expressed concern with the present public education system, saying underprivileged young people were being “shortchanged” by the system.

“If it were up to me, I would retrain all of the teachers and rebuild all of the schools because our young people and children are being shortchanged and should not be excluded from gaining personal and educational development at a time when the nation is developing,” he said.

“It is a system for the elite and that is why so many of our young people are falling by the wayside because our teachers are not trained to reach children with abrasive edges and they are left to themselves and they fail and the society fails as a result,” he added.

Loney, who is also a practicing psychologist, said he had been asked to chair the San Fernando Inner City Network and his first challenge was to transform the Carlton Lane Housing Development “from within”, saying young people residing there were being left behind by the “elitist” education system.