Local Government Minister Hazel Manning yesterday apologised to members of the House for a misleading statement she made.

Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar, at the last Parliament sitting, had raised a motion referring Manning to the Parliament Privileges Committee for saying some $4 million was paid to the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation to supply truck-borne water to residents.

Persad-Bissessar presented the Hansard with Manning's statement, as well as a sworn statement from the chairman of the corporation, indicating that Manning's statement was not true.

"Mr Speaker, I have since re-examined the records and discovered that I was misinformed," Manning said as she explained that the records revealed the figure of $4 million referred to the total allocation given to the corporation for the period 2004 to 2008.

"Shame! Shame!" shouted Opposition members, as Manning continued to explain that the initial allocation for the corporation for this year was $1 million.

Manning, upon re-checking the information, said she was advised that the allocation was increased and now stands at $2 million.

Opposition members chastised Manning, saying the increase was made after the fact.

"Mr Speaker, it was not my intention to mislead this honorable House and I apologise for any misunderstanding that may have occurred. Thank you," Manning said.

Prior to Manning's statement, House Speaker Barendra Sinanan addressed Persad-Bissessar's motion, saying that he looked at the practices in the House of Commons and other Commonwealth Parliaments and concluded that for a statement to be misleading, the member must know at the time that it is incorrect.

He said in order to determine if misleading the House was deliberate, it must be proven.

"After careful consideration of what has been presented to me, I am not convinced that the honourable Minister of Local Government deliberately intended to mislead this House and in the circumstance I find no prima facie case for breach of privileges," Sinanan said.