Lee to Robinson-Regis: Show me your covid19 results and I'll show you mine

Opposition member David Lee, on Sunday, sought to clear the air on his covid19 status in response to concerns about his appearance in Parliament while displaying flu-like symptoms two months ago.

Lee in a UNC press conference at the office of the Leader of the Opposition in Port of Spain said he would not hesitate to provide his negative results but he hoped government ministers would have no trouble showing their own results when the Opposition returns to parliament on Wednesday.

Lee's comments came after government MP Camille Robinson-Regis, in a statement on Saturday night, said, "Lee displayed a hacking cough and was continuously wiping his nose with the back of his hand in the Parliamentary Chambers. The Government accepted his verbal assurances that he was covid free but now we must also demand a medical report from a reputable medical source."

During Lee's contribution to debate on a no-confidence motion against Minister of Energy Franking Khan on February 26, Lee began to sniffle. Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi rose to complain about Lee’s symptoms.

Lee explained to the House that he had taken a covid19 test which returned negative and his symptoms were linked to his sinus.

But Robinson-Regis in the release on Saturday night said since the Prime Minister had been open about his health status leading up to the time where he tested positive for the virus and going as far as disclosing his medical record in keeping with his promises to remain transparent, Lee must also be transparent.

Robinson-Regis also dismissed rumours that Parliament was dismissed for sanitisation. She said there are no scheduled sanitisations planned because there is no need.

She went on to condemn the Opposition Leader for telling the public that Dr Rowley displayed symptoms of coughing and sniffling. She said there was no evidence to prove that claim and that the first time Rowley displayed any symptoms was in Tobago on Easter Monday.

“The Opposition has failed to inform the public of the closing of several of their offices. Within recent times, on the advice of health authorities, the constituency offices of Siparia, Couva North and Cumuto Manzanilla were sanitised by the Parliament because a member of staff tested positive in each of those offices...Was this information placed in the public domain?

"Can the Opposition confirm if the Member for Siparia Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the Member for Couva North Ravi Ratiram and the Member for Cumuto/ Manzanilla Rai Ragbir were primary contacts? If so, what are the test results? Were they quarantined? All very pertinent questions."

In response, Lee said, “I did a covid19 test. Regis asked to see it and when I see her on Wednesday in Parliament or there, we can meet behind the speaker’s chair and ill show it to her.”

He said when the symptom surfaced, out of an ambulance of caution, he went to the Medical Associates Hospital in February.

“I didn’t make a statement that I could not back up. But I ask, if I can show mine, they can show theirs.”