Guyana President confirms visit to Cuba is for medical reasons

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Oct 30, CMC –President David Granger left here Tuesday for Cuba for a series of medical checks, according to an official statement issued here.
The Office of the Presidency said that Granger, who is accompanied by his wife, is to undergo “medical investigation” while in Cuba.
Granger confirmed that he had travelled to Trinidad and Tobago on two occasions for a medical check-up and had been given a clean bill of health in May.
“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.
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.
“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.
Granger said that while he does not suffer from a particular ailment, he felt that out of an abundance of caution, he took the decision to travel to the Republic of 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,” President Granger said.
Media reports here said that in recent weeks it has been noticed that the Head of State has shown signs of exhaustion and had lost weight.
Minister of Social Development, Amma Ally, had earlier indicated that Granger, 73 was going to Cuba for a medical “investigation”.
Ally, who is also the government’s chief whip, said that President Granger is not expected to undergo surgery but is due for a medical test in Havana.
“I’m sure that you would have heard that he is not well and that he is going to do an investigation as to what might be his problem,” she told Demerara Waves Online News.
Granger is due to return here ahead of the Local Government Elections scheduled for November 12.