For the second time, Foreign Affairs Minister Knowlson Gift has resigned from an administration led by Prime Minister Patrick Manning abruptly, causing immediate speculation about his motives.
By Curtis Williams and Asha JaveedA three-paragraph statement from Whitehall confirmed rumours circulating since the weekend that a minister had resigned from the Government.
According to the release from Whitehall, Gift resigned from the Cabinet with immediate effect.
“The Prime Minister has accepted Mr Gift’s resignation and in so doing has expressed his gratitude for the loyal service rendered by Mr Gift during his tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs.”
While Whitehall announced Gift had resigned, Cabinet sources indicated that for some time Manning and Gift have had disagreements.
But in his resignation letter to Manning, dated September 25, Gift told the PM that he had achieved all that was asked of him.
“There is not a single foreign policy initiative or priority mandated by your good self that was not successfully accomplished,” he wrote.
Gift argued that despite staff shortages the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had achieved a lot under his stewardship.
“Honourable Prime Minister, the above indicative list of accomplishments is self-evident. They have in themselves contributed to the disproportionately positive image of Trinidad and Tobago, as a tiny nation, headed by your good self and for this you can feel justly proud.”
In what appeared to be a response to questions raised about his performance, Gift stated that his performance was what can be expected of any Foreign Minister.
“Finally, I make bold to say my conscience is clear in respect of performance expectations from any Minister of Foreign Affairs and I thank you again for the opportunity to have served our beloved country,” Gift’s letter ended.
The announcement from Whitehall came hours after Manning left T&T for Washington DC to speak at a dinner organised by the Inter-American Economic Council chaired by Ambassador Christopher Thomas.
Sources close to the Government said career diplomat Thomas, chairman of the Police Service Commission and former assistant secretary general of the Organisation of American States, was the tipped to replace Gift.
When the Guardian called Gift’s home, a woman who answered the phone said Gift was not yet ready to speak about his resignation and that questions should be posed to communications specialist Cheryl Moses.
Moses, however, told the Guardian she was in the dark about the reasons for Gift’s resignation.
It was in May 1995 that Gift resigned from the first Patrick Manning administration ten days after being controversially brought into the Cabinet.
The resignation came six months before the 1995 general election which Manning called early and lost as the United National Congress was swept into office.
Gift, a career diplomat, was then brought back into the Manning Cabinet when the PNM returned to power in 2001.
