‘I am feeling very well’

MP for Port of Spain South and Public Administration Minister Marlene McDonald yesterday vehemently denied a report in another daily newspaper that she had kidney failure.

Speaking with Sunday Newsday this evening, McDonald, who was hospitalised twice within a month, said she was given a week's sick leave by her doctor after she got pneumonia. Last Tuesday during a radio interview, the Prime Minister said McDonald was "seriously ill". She had to be hospitalised after she was treated a month ago at the Port of Spain general hospital for low blood pressure.

"I am feeling very well. I was out on the motorcade today (for PNM candidates in tomorrow's by-election) because I am Port of Spain South and the corporation is part of my constituency. I am the deputy political leader for legislative matters and I went to support the candidate for Belmont East (Nicole Young). If I was on my dying bed I would not have been able to do that. There were people laughing at me saying 'Look Lazarus raised from the dead'. All I ask is for time and space to recuperate. One week the doctors have given me because of my pneumonia that's all. All sort of thing was placed in the newspaper without my intervention."

She said she was shocked to learn that her second hospitalisation resulted in a news report saying she had renal failure and was in need of dialysis. She added that she is not one to lime, drink or smoke and apart from work she can be found in her constituency or at home.

"They traumatised Sea Lots. I had to go there and calm my people and had to go Block 8 and quell the constituents. Is that right? I am always on the ground with my people. You know what they call me? They call me the 'poor people governor'. I stayed in the back bench for two years with $17,000 a month and I shared my meagre salary with them, giving food baskets."

McDonald referred to herself as the "consummate politician" having been a back bencher, Chief Whip and minister in the past ten years. She added that she was given no compassion as she tried to heal and now she wants to take care of her.

"I have to take care of me and I know what is going on with me and I refute all that nonsense that's going on in the papers there."