San Fernando East MP Patrick Manning says he will travel to Cuba and the United States to get an assessment of his health before returning to San Fernando East to tell his constituents whether he will accept or reject nomination to contest the 2015 general election. Manning said that in a letter to PNM leader Dr Keith Rowley yesterday. The letter was posted on his Facebook page late yesterday.
He told Rowley he was near the completion of arrangements to travel to Cuba and he would visit his Washington-based doctor between December 23 and 31. Manning said those doctors and his local medical team would complete his evaluation. He said he intended to address his constituents on January 2 when he would “advise the membership of my decision to accept or decline a nomination.”
He said if he declined he intended to recommend to the constituency a”nominee upon whom, in my opinion, the constituency can rely.” Manning said he was confident that the San Fernando East constituency was “exceptionally well organised and prepared for any general election whenever the date is announced.
“I am equally confident that the adjustment to the schedule indicated will absolutely not have an adverse impact on the readiness of San Fernando East,” he added. Manning suffered a stroke in January 2011 and has been recuperating since.