THE Ministry of Education has denied media reports that items stolen from the office of Education Minister Hazel Manning were gifts to the minister.

An article appearing in a daily newspaper on January 5, 2006 states that thieves broke into the offices of Education Minister Hazel Manning and escaped with four figurines, which were part of Christmas presents given to the minister.

The thieves also reportedly nabbed other items, including alcoholic drinks, a cooler, a manicure set, and two toe rings.

In a news release issued by the ministry the same day the story appeared in the Press, the ministry said that “items reported missing” from “a secretary’s office” at the ministry’s Alexandra Street, St. Clair offices, “were not gifts provided to the Minster of Education and they were never at any time lodged in the minister’s office”.

“The ministry’s release further ‘advised’ that the door leading to and from the secretary’s office was not damaged or broken,” and investigations are being conducted by Maintenance Training and Security (MTS) officers and by the Police.

However, the release did not say who owned the items, and one is left to guess whether the items, especially the manicure set and toe rings, belonged to the ministry or were the personal belongings of Minister Manning or other members of staff.

There is some speculation that the “gifts” were items purchased by Minister Manning to give as gifts, but no one could say if Manning purchased the gifts with state funds to be given on behalf of the ministry, or if the minister purchased them with her own funds to give on her own behalf.

Either way, one is also left to wonder to whom Minister Manning would give a pair of toe rings.