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	Prime Minister’s Profile
	Hon’ble Mr Patrick Manning Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Mr. Patrick Manning was elected Prime Minister on October 7, 2002. It is his third term in this august office.

Mr Manning entered politics at age 24 in 1971 as the People’s National Movement candidate for the Constituency of San Fernando East, emerging victorious in the general elections of that year. Remarkably, he has won this seat in every general election since, totaling nine contests to date.

Mr Manning has experience in ministries ranging from Works and Transport to Industry and Commerce, and Petroleum and Mines. He became a full-fledged minister in 1981 holding the Industry and Commerce, and Information portfolios, then Energy and Natural Resources.

Even when after 25 years the PNM lost the polls in 1986, Mr Manning was one of the three PNM candidates who retained their seats. He became the Leader of the Opposition and within two months was elected to the post of Political Leader of the PNM.

In 1991, Mr Manning was elected Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. When his party lost the general election of 1995, Mr. Manning returned to the position of Leader of the Opposition for the following six years. In 2001, when a deadlock arose in the House of Representatives, Mr Manning was appointed Prime Minister by President Arthur N.R. Robinson. A general election was then held on October 7, 2002 and Mr Manning again emerged victorious. He is currently the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance.

Born in San Fernando in 1946, Mr Manning attained his primary and secondary education in South Trinidad, followed by his BSc (Special Honours) in geology at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. He has extensive experience in the energy industry. He is highly regarded in the local community for his integrity and his passionate commitment to the needs of the country’s social sector.

In December 2003, Mr Manning was awarded the Guyana Institute for Democracy Democracy Prize for his work in upholding the principles of democracy in the Caribbean region.

He is well-respected globally for his vision as a new-style Caribbean leader who is bent upon having Trinidad and Tobago not only grow to developed country status on or before the year 2020, but simultaneously contributing to the development of fellow regional states. In December 2004, Mr Manning was awarded the Caribbean-Central American Action's Star of the Caribbean Award for his support of Caribbean neighbours in their time of distress.

On January 1, 2006, Mr Manning assumed the chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) for six months during which time Trinidad and Tobago hosted the 17th Intersessional Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Community.

Mr Manning is married to Senator Ms Hazel Manning, current Minister of Education. They have two sons, Brian and David.