Amid growing questions, about the state of President David Granger’s health, the Ministry of the Presidency (MotP) today issued a release in which the President is reported as saying that he had been experiencing “symptoms” following a check-up in Trinidad in May and was proceeding to Cuba to have the relevant investigation done.
Yesterday, the ministry had issued a release saying that the President and First Lady were travelling to Cuba today and would return on November 11, the day before local government elections. No other information was provided and this immediately led to questions being raised about the President’s health.
This morning MotP said that the President and the First Lady departed Guyana this morning for Cuba where the President will undergo a medical investigation.
Speaking at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Timehri, this morning, MotP said that the Head of State said that recently he travelled twice to Trinidad and Tobago and had done his annual medical check-up in May where he had been given a clean bill of health.
“If I take you back over the last six months, I went to Trinidad and Tobago to do my annual medical examination which is normally done in August. I went in May because of the Congress of my party and the impending Local Government Elections,” he said in today’s release.
However, on his return to work, the President said that he started to experience certain symptoms which were persistent, and took the decision to travel back to Trinidad to revisit the tests that were done in May. MotP had not reported that the President had travelled back to Trinidad to revisit the tests.
“At that time, they discovered some symptoms which needed further investigation so I just agreed with that diagnosis and made arrangements to go to Cuba for further investigations. At this time, there is no clear indication of disorder or what the nature of the disorder is. It is a question of investigation and I think I can get the best advice in Cuba,” he said, according to today’s release.
While he does not suffer from a particular ailment, President Granger said that out of an abundance of caution, he took the decision to travel to Cuba to have the relevant medical investigation done.
“The Guyanese public should be assured that once those investigations are complete they would be kept abreast with the health of the President of the Republic,” he said in today’s release.
