| St. Lucia Prime Minister Hospitalised |
By BBC - Caribbean
May 10, 2007
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| There is mounting concern in St. Lucia about the health of the island's 81-year-old Prime Minister, Sir John Compton. |
However, news reports that Mr. Compton had suffered a stroke have been denied by the Acting Prime Minister, Stephenson King.
Mr. King, who is also Minister of Health, confirmed to BBC Caribbean that Mr. Compton has been hospitalised in the United States for more than a week, |
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| where he had gone for a regular medical check up. |
| He said the prime minister was "instructed by his medical team to remain for further checks" because of doctors concerns about results from a number of tests they carried out on him. |
Mr. King was unable to say exactly what is wrong with the Prime Minister, but said that he was in a stable condition and looking forward to returning to St. Lucia. |
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"His wife is extremely concerned about his condition..."
BBC's Pete Ninvalle |
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| BBC Caribbean's reporter in Castries, Pete Ninvalle, said many people are worried about the impact this illness will have on Sir John's long term political future. |
| "Privately we are being told that his wife is extremely concerned about his condition, and it raises questions about his future in active politics upon his return," Pete Ninvalle said. |
News of Sir John's hospitalisation comes against the backdrop of reports that he had faced a cabinet revolt that led St. Lucia to re-establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan. |
| Taiwan's arch-rival China has since suspended ties with Castries. |
| Mr. Compton brushed aside questions about his age when he came out of retirement to lead his United Workers Party to victory in last December's general election. |
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