Wednesday, March 10 2010

THE PNM Diego Martin West constituency of Dr Keith Rowley on Monday night passed a motion of no confidence in the party’s political leader, Prime Minister Patrick Manning, as criticism over his handling of the Calder Hart/Udecott affair intensified.

Hours after Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar filed a motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister in Parliament, that constituency executive carried a motion of no confidence against the PNM political leader, at the constituency’s monthly executive meeting at the Diego Martin West constituency office in Glencoe.

Newsday understands from sources that the meeting, which lasted more than three hours, saw constituency officer Jane Simon move the motion. It was seconded and put to a vote which saw it being carried unanimously by a show of hands.

“The people of Diego Martin West are very agitated and annoyed by what has happened,” an executive source said yesterday. “What has angered them most was that when this whole issue first broke after (Diego Martin West MP) Dr Keith Rowley was fired, they sought to raise the matter at party headquarters and they were brushed aside. Now the entire affair has snowballed.”

The Diego Martin executive now intends to take the matter to Balisier House where it will be reported to PNM General Secretary Martin Joseph.

It is understood that the executive will call on the PNM General Council, which is chaired by PNM chairman Conrad Enill and includes the political leader, to call for a special convention to have the issue of Manning’s handling of the Udecott affair discussed. A motion is to be sent to Balisier House this month.