Former Education Minister Hazel Manning has rejected claims made by Wendy Lewis, who said she once held a key position within the constituency office of the late Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
Hazel Manning, the widow of the former prime minister, responded on Facebook this morning after Lewis appeared in a Guardian Media interview on Friday during a walkabout in Mon Repos, explaining her decision to switch allegiance to the United National Congress (UNC) after decades of involvement in politics.
Lewis is now the campaign manager for prospective UNC candidate for San Fernando East, John Michael Alibocus. She claimed she had worked closely with Patrick Manning and the Manning family. The San Fernando East seat was held by Patrick Manning for decades and is now represented by his son, Brian Manning.
In the interview, Lewis said, “I was personal protocol officer for Mr Manning. I was the area manager for Mon Repos, which is why I had to be here today… I’ve been in politics for 26 years.” She added, “My allegiance went when Mr Patrick Manning went… There are things that you see now that you would not have seen in Mr Manning’s time.”
In response, Hazel Manning said, “The post or position of ‘personal protocol officer’ under my late husband, Patrick Manning, simply did not exist. It never has and never did.”
She denied that Lewis had worked for or represented her family in any capacity.
“To say otherwise, or to claim to have represented, advised, spoken for or worked with my family, is simply false,” Manning said. “This individual was never retained by me, my late husband, or my sons, and has never had any standing with the Manning family, or served remotely as our representative.”
Manning said Lewis once attended a short course where she came into contact with her firm but insisted there was no formal relationship. “This attempt to misrepresent history is unfortunate and I ask that these claims cease immediately,” she added.
