KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – An emotional Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves wept in Trinidad yesterday after visiting in hospital former prime minister Patrick Manning, who suffered a mild stroke on Monday.
“These are tears of joy for seeing him and see how he is recovering. It’s a remarkable recovery for somebody who has had a stroke, but, of course, there is still a journey to travel. We must give him his time to rest and heal. He is obviously getting excellent treatment,” Gonsalves said after a two-hour visit with Manning.
Gonsalves did not say what he and Manning spoke about during the visit but said his long-time friend was happy to see him.
“His eyes lit up. He smiled. I wouldn’t tell you about what he spoke about. The bond is there. There was a lot of joy. He will get better,” Gonsalves told reporters in San Fernando, Trinidad.
“I should tell you I love Patrick. You know I love him. He has been my friend since university. We played pan together. We did a lot of things together. We worked well when he was in government. I have remained his friend through all the ups and downs of politics. He is my brother. I didn’t spend a long time with him. I just wanted for him to see my eyes and for him to see my eyes, and the love we have for each other,” Gonsalves added.
He further said that during the visit he prayed with Manning and gave him an autobiography, which contains some pictures of both of them, and a diary that Gonsalves wrote about a ten-day visit at Mount St Benedict in 2005.