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Despite experiencing a sharp back pain yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley forced himself out of bed to attend the launch of a reforestation project at Hillview College, Tunapuna, saying he could not disappoint the students.
Following the function, Rowley visited a doctor to seek medical attention.
Rowley spoke about his severe back pains while delivering the feature address at a “Greening the Urban Landscape” initiative where 200 trees were planted on a five-acre parcel of land outside the school’s compound.
The function was attended by Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan, Education Minister Anthony Garcia and deputy House Speaker Esmond Forde.
During his address, Rowley said while he attended the tree planting exercise in the capacity of PM, he wanted to be recognised as biologist. “This for me is one of the few occasions where, as Prime Minister, you get to do something that is really enjoyable and feel good about, because most of the things you have to do are unpleasant and contentious.”
Yesterday, he said, was the opposite. “What is funny about it, is that I don’t know what happened but I was in such great pain last night…I didn’t sleep. I just developed somewhere this very unusual back pain.”
Rowley said in whatever position he lay on his bed he suffered excessive pain.
“I don’t know what the problem is. When I leave here I am going straight to the doctor.”
When he awoke yesterday, Rowley said his wife Sharon advised him not to go to work. “And I said I have to go out today, as long as I get out of this bed I have to go because I have to go to those children in Hillview College and I have to go to a programme which I really don’t want to miss.”
Rowley said if he had not shown up he would have been really disappointed.
It is unclear if Rowley started developing the pains at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain, on Thursday evening, where he announced September 16 as the date for the PNM’s internal election.
The PM also called on Garcia to introduce tree planting exercises in schools, noting students ought to be educated about different types of trees.
“I want to say to the Minister of Education that when you leave here this morning, try and take this programme into every school in T&T. We have lost quite a lot and we have not made the most of quite a lot.”
The PM said T&T has a collection of exquisite trees which some citizens were oblivious to or destroyed unknowingly.
Given Dr John Alleyne’s wide-ranging experience as an agronomist, Rowley said he brought him into the Office of the Prime Minister as an adviser.
“So the last two years we have been embarking, finding and planting. But we got distracted a bit on the food crop side of things.”
Rowley said they have set about to get a million seedlings for replanting.
“The last time I checked we were at 880,000 at the nurseries.”
Garcia said the fact that the PM fought his pain to attend the function showed his dedication to his job.
“He always likes to be among school children. As a former minister of agriculture the PM has embraced that project with both hands.”
Garcia said he was not unduly worried about the PM’s health, saying he has been always resilient.
“He will recover speedily. I am sure.”
Rowley later attended yesterday’s Parliament session and was smiling and in good spirits when he entered the House. When Rowley arrived, he was walking well and in good humour, but there was no word of his doctor’s visit. (S HASSANALI)