Manning said there could have been bloodshed in T&T on the eve of last year’s attempted coup. Manning said: “One year ago, on the morning of Saturday July 26, when the Minister of Local Government and myself were on the way to our gym at 3.30 in the morning, a marked police vehicle sought to peel off the final vehicle in our (security) detail. We had one unmarked car in which we were travelling and there were two jeeps behind us, so everybody knew it was the Prime Minister’s detail.â€ÂÂÂÂÂÂ
He added: “A marked police vehicle came and made an attempt to peel off the final jeep in our detail.†Manning said the vehicle in the security detail refused to be peeled off “and to be separated from the rest of the (security) detail (and) all kinds of scuffles ensued, which caused us to abort our mission that morning and to return home very quickly.†He said: “What has not been said on this matter before is that two days before that, someone walked into the office of the Minister of Local Government and told her that a certain organisation in this country was about to make an attempt to assassinate the Prime Minister.
“That is what the Prime Minister knew that morning.†Manning said: “Fortunately for us we did not report it at the time.†He said: “Had it been reported, I assure you, there would have been bloodshed that morning and certain people would have been killed, there is no question about it.†Manning said he thanked God that the threat was not reported then. He said:“The Prime Minister has confidence in his security detail who have put their lives on the line to ensure that T&T remains a democratic and progressive society. We subscribe to the ballot not the bullet.†He said his Government would use all resources available to ensure T&T remains a peaceful nation.
