PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC:
TRINIDAD AND Tobago's Prime Minister Patrick Manning says the time has come for Trinidad and Tobago to have an executive president.
Mr. Manning was speaking to his constituents in south Trinidad on Saturday.
The Prime Minister told them that an executive president was the next logical step in the evolution of the nation's government.
This is not the first time that the Prime Minister has spoken about the position of an executive president in T&T, much like the United States' President George Bush or even Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo.
He also called on his party, the People's National Movement (PNM), to work hard at winning a constitutional majority to effect the change.
Under the current T&T constitution, the president is mainly a ceremonial figure even though he remains the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
But an executive president would have full political power to run the country's affairs.
Manning, who was given thunderous applause when he addressed his constituents, said the difference between his party and the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) was that the PNM was "ordered and disciplined."
"I am the only and indisputable leader of the PNM," he said as he took a jab at the UNC and the infighting over who was the real political leader of the party.
Prime Minister Manning called on the party's faithful to join with the government in a meaningful way to deal with many social issues that are plaguing society.
Manning's government has come under severe pounding for failing to deal with the recent crime wave in the country. The current murder rate is 310 - with the latest murder victim, the brother of a police officer, who was gunned down on Friday evening in Laventille.
