President and prisoners. Government and Opposition. Teens and octogenarians. Public servants and private sector workers. The lame and differently-abled.
Yesterday, they all came together at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) to mourn late prime minister Patrick Manning, get a final glimpse and say goodbye.
And the main opinion from the public was that Manning looked “... as if he was sleeping peacefully” and “smiling.”
Crowds started gathering under tents at NAPA, Port-of-Spain, from before 8 am for the public viewing of Manning’s body. He died last Saturday at the San Fernando General Hospital from Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, an aggressive cancer of the blood.
Arriving from San Fernando, the slowly driving silver-white hearse bearing Manning’s body swung into Keate Street at 9.20 am, escorted by motorcycle outriders and vans bearing military personnel. The hearse passed NAPA and headed north into the Queen’s Park Savannah traffic. It completed the Savannah circle and returned to NAPA by 9.30 am.
The growing crowd watched Defence Force soldiers remove the flag-draped, polished wood casket from the hearse, hoist it shoulder-high and slow-step into the NAPA auditorium, where the casket was placed on a black-draped bier.
The flag was removed and the casket was opened. Nearby stood Hazel Manning and Manning’s sisters Dr Petronella Manning-Alleyne and Pamela Manning, Mrs Manning’s sisters, sons David and Brian and a number of other immediate family members.
Dignitaries
view body
The media was unable to directly see the body or those viewing the body—and their expressions—since the casket was opened with the lid facing the media section, blocking a view of those looking at Manning’s body.
President Anthony Carmona, first to view the body at 10 am, greeted Mrs Manning, taking both her hands in his and speaking ernestly and hugging her.
Sombre Rowley
Like Carmona, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley was cheered by the crowd on his arrival at NAPA. A tiny glimpse of Rowley at the casket side, while he was viewing the body, was visible. He was seen slowly taking off his glasses as he viewed Manning’s body, standing at the casket for three quarters of a minute.
Rowley then greeted Mrs Manning and family members. The Prime Minister, seeming very sombre, didn’t smile and chat for very long. His features were sad as he exited the building alone, giving a slight little wave to media.
Viewing the body next were the Chief Justice Ivor Archie, House Speaker Brigid Annisette-George, Cabinet ministers and PNM senators.
Members of the public filed past the casket in batches while crowds built up outside. Among mourners was a group of prisoners from the Maximum Security Prison, Women’s Prison and Youth Training Centre, whose attendance was part of the restorative justice system, accompanying officer Krishna Bedassie told the T&T Guardian.
Maximum Security Prison inmate Neville Blood, dressed in white, said, “Mr Manning, a man for the ages, he looked so relaxed - he’s a great man, he’d paid his dues.”
Natasha de Leon, a female member with the National Mentorship Team, said, “Mr Manning did a lot, we got free tertiary education under him—he had a sort of smile on his face in the casket.”
A great man gone
YTC inmate Brando, from San Juan, said, “God was ready for Mr Manning, he tried his best.”
Joyce Quamina, 70, of Trou Macaque, held the hand of a relative assisting her to walk as she viewed Manning.
“A great man is gone. I followed Mr Manning since he was with the PNM, I went to all his meetings. He paved the way for the youths - I know he will rest in eternal peace,” Quamina said.
“That was we boy!” said Lynette Piggott, 80, of D’abadie. Agreeing was Sumintra Lakhan from San Juan.
Civilian Conservation Corps teens also praised him.
“Today’s experience was worth it—his legacy lives on in all of us,” said Ezra Roberts.
Ralph Khan, 70, from Felicity, Chaguanas, said, “I had to come, Mr Manning shake my hand in the campaign when he walked in 2010.”
Felix Hospedales, of Diego Martin, added, “He was a very futuristic leader, a monument should be named after him.”