Rowley: I am fine

In a brief comment, Rowley said, “I am back and I am fine and out to work today.” The Prime Minister provided no further details regarding his time overseas or the medical checks he underwent while abroad.

Rowley left the country on August 4 and returned home at 5 am yesterday from California in the US, where he had gone on vacation.

While there, Rowley had some medical examinations done at a clinic.

The Prime Minister had said he did examinations locally, the results of which were sent to his doctors abroad and both sets of doctors agreed further tests should be done. He previously said his health remains a private matter, although he is a public figure.

At last Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Port-of-Spain, Finance Minister Colm Imbert (who was acting Prime Minister at that time) said, “The Prime Minister would like all questions relating to his overseas travels to be directed to him.” Senior government officials had said Rowley would be having an annual executive medical which he is entitled to as Prime Minister.

People’s National Movement (PNM) general secretary Ashton Ford said he spoke to Rowley, who is also PNM political leader, regarding the start of the party’s screening exercise for local government candidates which begins today at 5 pm at Balisier House in Port-of-Spain. “He’ll be chairing the screening,” Ford said.

Today’s screening will involve people seeking to become candidates for the Arima Borough and Diego Martin Regional Corporations, which are both controlled by the PNM. On Thursday, nominees for the San Fernando City and Point Fortin Borough Corporations will be screened at the PNM’s South Regional Office in San Fernando.

On Friday, people will be screened as candidates for the Tunapuna/ Piarco and San Juan/ Laventille Regional Corporations at Balisier House. Nominees for the Port-of-Spain City Corporation will be screened at Balisier House on August 25.

The PNM is scheduled to conclude its screening on August 26, with nominees for the Penal/ Debe and Couva/Tabaquite/ Talparo Regional Corporations at the South Regional Office.

On Saturday, Rowley and his wife Sharon will host the launch of a Cazabon painting exhibition at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s. The paintings were bought by the Office of the Prime Minister last October at an auction put on by Christie’s in London.

Saturday’s event forms part of a series of events being held by the Community Development, Culture and Arts Ministry from August 31 to September 24 to mark National Patriotism Month