[UPDATED] PM heads to United States for medical check up

ENERGY Minister Stuart Young has been appointed to act as prime minister for a second time.

The announcement was made in a statement issued on September 1 by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)

The OPM said the Prime Minister was leaving for the US later in the day to undergo medical tests.

Dr Rowley indicated he would be going for scheduled medical tests in the US, when he addressed a post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall on August 25.

The OPM said in his absence, Young will act as prime minister.

Young, who is also a Minister in the OPM and PNM chairman, first acted as prime minister in July when Rowley was attending a Caricom heads of government meeting in Grenada.

Prior to this, Finance Minister Colm Imbert acted as prime minister in Rowley's absence.

Imbert was out of Trinidad and Tobago  on vacation in July, around the same time that Rowley was in Grenada.

Young has also acted as attorney general at times when Attorney General Reginald Armour is out of the country.

On August 25, Rowley said he was in good health, he has been postponing the routine medical examination he does in the US for the last two years.

Rowley, 74 , added that his local doctors have advised him to do this examination and he has agreed with them.

In June 2022, Rowley underwent medical checks in Los Angeles.

Those checks included cardiac and prostate analysis.

He received a clean bill of health at that time.

Rowley decided to do his medical tests then, after he attending the Ninth Summit of the Americas, which also took place in Los Angeles on June 6, 2022.

In January 2021, Rowley was admitted to West Shore Hospital, to be treated for a cardiac issue.

He was also given a clean bill of health then.

In 2019, Rowley underwent medical tests in the US to deal with a coronary issue which was detected in 2016.

Speaking at a news conference on March 3, 2019 at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's, Rowley said he currently suffers no symptoms which hamper his ability to perform his duties.

However his doctors – who have attended to him for the last 25 years in California – have asked him to prioritize his annual medical examination.

A 2016 coronary scan revealed Rowley had small soft plaque in one of his arteries and doctors indicated that it should be monitored.

In 2017, doctors said it appeared as though the plaque was growing. The advice from his doctors then was that it should be monitored to determine whether further intervention might be required.

Rowley said, “I should have gone back to my doctors by September 2018 but given the nature of my job and procrastination giving priority to other matters, I did not for a year and a half look at this problem again.”

It is uncertain whether or not Rowley will return to Trinidad and Tobago in time for a sitting of the House of Representatives on September 9, to save certain items on the government's legislative agenda or for the reopening of the new parliamentary term on September 13.

Rowley spoke about both of these matters on August 25 when he gave some insights into government's legislative agenda, going into its final year in office.

He identified greater Tobago internal self-governance and campaign finance legislation as two priorities on that agenda.

The next general election is constitutionally due by next August, with the law giving an allowance for the election to be held three months after if necessary.

This means that next November is the ultimate time for the election to be held.

While Rowley hinted at possible retirement from electoral politics after the PNM won the August 10, 2020 general election, he has given no indication when he would do this.

Rowley has publicly maintained many times that the PNM would see out its full term in office.

At several PNM public meetings this year, he has told party supporters to be ready because elections can be called at any time.

The PNM has approved five candidates for constituencies it does not represent in Parliament.

The party is currently screening candidates for the 19 constituencies currently held by the Opposition UNC.

No screening has started yet for the 22 constituencies represented by PNM MPs.

Any candidates chosen by any party can be changed at any time before nomination day, the date when all candidates must file their documents with the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) for an election.

The UNC opened its nominations for general election candidates in February and closed them in May.

No screening of UNC nominees has started yet.

Other smaller parties have started their election preparations in different ways.

This story was originally published with the title "Young acts as PM for second time" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

ENERGY Minister Stuart Young has been appointed to act as prime minister for a second time.

The announcement was made in a statement issued on September 1 by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

The OPM said the Prime Minister was leaving for the US later in the day to undergo medical tests.

Dr Rowley indicated he would be going for scheduled medical tests in the US when he addressed a post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall on August 25.

The OPM said in his absence, Young will act as prime minister.

Young, who is also a Minister in the OPM and PNM chairman, first acted as prime minister in July when Rowley was attending a Caricom heads of government meeting in Grenada.

Previously Finance Minister Colm Imbert acted as prime minister in Rowley's absence.