Prime Minister Patrick Manning yesterday kept mum on the firing of Trade Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

’No comment, a press release will be issued soon,’ Manning told the Express when asked to respond on the issue during the Parliament’s tea break.

Rowley, who had held the position of Trade Minister, a portfolio he held for almost six months following last year’s general elections, was fired and sent to the Opposition back benches of Parliament yesterday.

The Diego Martin West MP sat on the Opposition back bench in a world of his own, where he completely ignored everyone, even his People’s Natioanl Movement colleagues.

Dressed in his suit with his balisier tie very much present, Rowley sat at a desk where there was no name card allocated, and did not attract much attention, as just last Friday he had occupied a seat on the Opposition back bench to allow Health Minister Jerry Narace, who sits in the Upper House, his place to answer a question on the Order Paper.

It was peculiar though that no questions were raised, as Rowley’s usual seat on the Government bench was empty, there were no Senators visiting from the Upper House, and the Government did not answer any of the questions posed to it on the Order Paper yesterday.

Because of the increase in electoral seats from 36 to 41, the seating arrangement of the House of Representatives changed, so three PNM members-St Ann’s East MP Anthony Roberts, La Horquetta/Talparo MP Roger Joseph and Toco/Sangre Grande MP Indra Sinanan Ojah-Maharaj-sat on the back bench of the Opposition.

Joseph was recently promoted as a Minister of State in the Works Ministry, a position that earned him a place on the Government benches.

San Fernando West MP Junia Regrello, who is a Parliamentary Secretary in the Culture Ministry, took Joseph’s back bench seat.

Rowley joined them yesterday but did not interact with anyone. He sat and in a nonchalant demeanor and engrossed himself with a Newsweek magazine.

The House continued to debate a bill to establish the Headquarters of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in this country, and Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner was the first to contribute. Following him was Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheria.

Rowley ignored both of them, although there were occasions he looked up and stared across to his empty seat.

In the seating order of the Parliament, Rowley had previously sat close to Manning, who is sandwiched between Attorney General, Brigid Annisette-George, and Leader of Government Business, Colm Imbert, on the Government front bench.

Manning walked into the House at 2:19 p.m and threw a quick glance out of the corner of his eyes at Rowley. He went straight to his seat where he smiled as Warner told him, ’You really missed something’, meaning the earlier part of his contribution.

Manning, in the same nonchalant manner as his former front bencher, then glanced around and rested his eyes as Warner continued his presentations and as Rowley stole quick glances at him.

Rowley is the second Trade Minister to be fired by Manning. Before him was former Diego Martin Central MP Ken Valley.

Valley was fired by Manning after a Bill Johnson poll indicated that he was performing poorly. Valley was also the Leader of Government Business in the House.