Manning, whose People's National Movement (PNM) is battling to remain in power in today's parliamentary elections, tried to stop Angela Nelson from speaking to the media.

A letter from Manning's attorney Michael Quamina was hand-delivered to Nelson minutes before her scheduled news conference.

"My client is convinced that given the timing of this press conference, your actions are either politically-instigated or motivated or its your intention to cause the maximum amount of damage to my client's reputation and injury to the feelings of my client's family," Quamina said in his letter on behalf of his client, Manning who is married to Education Minister Hazel Manning, the mother of his two sons. "Please be advised that should you carry out your intentions, my client will immediately take all legal recourse available to him to defend his reputation including an application for an injunction and damages."

Nelson retorted as she ended the reading of the letter," Be my guest, Patrick Manning, that's all I can say."

Nelson, a security consultant in North Carolina said the child Destiny Athena was conceived in Miami two years ago during a fund-raising trip by Manning.

Nelson who was at the time living in Miami told reporters that Manning told her he wanted to have a baby "I apologise to Mrs. Manning, I humbly apologise to her."

Nelson, who was a PNM activist while living in Trinidad denied her actions were politically-motivated.

"This is not political. As I said earlier elections will come, elections will go (but) my daughter Destiny Athena is going to be here.

Unfortunately, it has come out at this time but I have to do what's right for my daughter. I have tried over and over and over and over. Mr. Manning has had no less than 15 messages from me, (telling him) ' please call me, we need to talk'."

Nelson who has remarried said all she wants is for Manning to accept responsibility for the child.

The PNM party in a statement blamed the United National Congress (UNC) for trying to tarnish Manning's "good name."

The party said it is clear that the "spurious allegations" represent a "viciously concocted plot."

It said it underscores a desperate and diabolical UNC at this time, given all the signs of a PNM victory at the polls.

The PNM said it was most unfortunate that the leaders of the UNC who are fighting to save themselves would be prepared to subject a young child to trauma, purely for political gains.